Old Dominion University

Public · Moderately Selective · VA

Photo: Packer1028 (CC0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationVA · South

SettingUrban

Undergrads17,514

Student:faculty13:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate26.2%

6-yr grad rate46.3%

Drop-out rate23.1%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$13k

Out-of-state tuition$34k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity59.4%

Gender diversity54.1%

International1.2%

Identity—

Overview

Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia serves the Hampton Roads region, a metro area dominated by the world's largest naval base, and its academic identity is shaped directly by that surrounding maritime, military, and defense economy. Founded originally as an extension of William & Mary before becoming independent, it has grown into a comprehensive research university with a practical, applied bent.

Academics

Maritime and port logistics, naval architecture and defense-related fields, and coastal resilience research on sea-level rise are distinctive strengths tied closely to the region's geography and industry. The university was an early leader in distance education through its satellite-campus video network, a legacy that continues in its large adult and military-affiliated student population served through flexible online and hybrid formats. Engineering and modeling and simulation, an unusual specialty tied to the region's defense-simulation industry, are also notable.

Campus & student life

Norfolk's dense, naval-oriented metro setting gives Old Dominion a more urban, less traditionally residential feel than many state universities, with a significant share of students who are older, working, or military-connected and commute or attend part time. The campus itself has grown more residential in recent years, and Monarch athletics and a revitalized campus core have added more traditional college-life elements alongside the commuter core.

Getting in

Admission is accessible and practical-minded, reflecting the university's mission of serving working adults and military-affiliated students alongside traditional undergraduates, with a straightforward review that weighs academic preparation over an elaborate holistic process. Credit for military training and experience is folded into admissions and degree planning more explicitly than at many state universities.

After graduation

Engineering, modeling-and-simulation, and maritime-adjacent graduates feed directly into Hampton Roads' defense contractors, the naval base, and the port industry, while education and business graduates find steady regional placement. The university's alumni network is concentrated in the Hampton Roads region and skews toward defense, government, and military-adjacent careers.

Worth knowing

The concentration of military-affiliated and adult students, along with the university's early and continued strength in distance education, makes it a notably flexible option for nontraditional students. Its modeling-and-simulation program, tied to the region's dense concentration of defense-simulation companies, is a genuine and fairly unusual specialty for a university this size.

odu.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate90.4%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1100–1280 · ACT 24–29

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying