Norwich University

Private · Moderately Selective · VT

Photo: SMHCNorwich (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationVT · Northeast

SettingRural

Undergrads2,428

Student:faculty13:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate52.5%

6-yr grad rate60.2%

Drop-out rate20.7%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$50k

Out-of-state tuition$50k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity33%

Gender diversity28.1%

International4.6%

Identity—

Overview

Norwich University, in Northfield, Vermont, is the oldest private military college in the country and is widely credited as the birthplace of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps concept, founded by Alden Partridge in 1819. Students choose between the Corps of Cadets, with its military structure, uniforms, and rank system, and civilian student life, both living and studying on the same campus, which gives Norwich a distinctive dual culture unlike almost any other college.

Academics

Cybersecurity and computer security are particular strengths, with Norwich recognized as a national center of academic excellence in the field, alongside strong programs in engineering, criminal justice, nursing, and construction management. Class sizes are small, and the discipline instilled by the Corps structure carries over into a demanding, structured academic culture even for civilian students.

Campus & student life

Northfield sits in the Green Mountains, giving campus life a rugged, outdoors-adjacent character alongside the military traditions, rook week, Reveille, and rank structure, that shape cadet life specifically. Athletics compete in NCAA Division III as the Cadets.

Getting in

Applicants to the Corps of Cadets go through additional physical and commitment expectations beyond academic review, while civilian-track admission looks more like a typical small-college holistic process.

After graduation

Norwich has strong pipelines into military commissioning, cybersecurity and defense-contractor employment, and engineering, with a close-knit alumni network especially strong within military and government circles.

Worth knowing

The choice between Corps of Cadets and civilian life is a real, defining decision at Norwich, not a minor track difference, and prospective students should understand what daily life in the Corps actually involves before committing.

norwich.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate74.4%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1060–1320

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying