United States Military Academy

Overview of United States Military Academy

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Because Highland Falls is such a small town, cadets from West Point won’t have a wide menu of recreational options from which to choose unless you’re interested in walking the trails nearby. Or, if you want to take a whole weekend, you’re only 1.25 hours from New York City itself.

The US Military Academy, a public university, was founded in 1802 in order to allow young men to become US Army officers. The academy boasts these graduates: Dwight D. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, George S. Patton, John J. Pershing, Omar Bradley, and David Petraeus.

Campus housing is provided for the cadets. Student enrollment is 4,589, and all students are undergraduate cadets. Males make up 77% of the student body, while females make up 23%. The student-to-faculty ratio is a quite low 7 to 1.

Top Rankings For United States Military Academy

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Admissions

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Tuition Cost & Financial Aid

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Because the United States Military Academy is a federally funded military institution, every cadet’s expenses (room, board, tuition, and all applicable supplies) are paid for by the US Army. All graduates of West Point are required to serve a minimum of 5 years in the US Army in return for the costs of their educations at West Point.

This means that there is no average net price for the cost of attendance. Financial aid, as it is normally known, is not awarded at West Point. Families and their cadets/students don’t have to pay for the costs of their education.

Sticker Price

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Academics

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The retention rate at West Point is 97%, meaning that 97 out of 100 first-year students return for their second academic year of instruction. The 4-year graduation rate is 81% and the 6-year graduation rate is 85%. The rigorous education requires some cadets to stay at West Point for an additional two years so they can complete their degrees satisfactorily, but this is part of a national trend rather than a problem at this particular institution.

Neither evening nor online classes are available. Students must be in the classroom to attend this school. This means that cadets are not allowed to hold jobs that would take them away from their classes.

Degree programs offered at West Point include area, ethnic, cultural, gender and group studies; biological and biomedical sciences; business, management, marketing, and related support services; computer and information sciences and support services; engineering (chemical, civil, electrical and electronic, environmental/environmental health engineering, mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering, operations research, and systems engineering); engineering technology and engineering-related fields; English language and literature; foreign languages, literatures, and linguistics; history; legal professions and studies; mathematics and statistics; military technologies and applied sciences; multi/interdisciplinary studies; natural resources and conservation; parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies; philosophy and religious studies; physical sciences; psychology; and social sciences.

Student Population Total

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Outcome & Salary

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Because West Point cadets don’t pay out of pocket for their education at the academy, they will benefit from a fantastic return on investment (ROI) once they complete their education. The average salary of a West Point graduate is $100,000; their early-career salary is $83,500 and their mid-career salary is $155,000. This makes their 10-year salary earnings potential $1,000,000 and their 20-year salary earnings potential $2,550,000.

High school graduates who don’t go on to college earn a national average salary of $38,792. Their 10-year projected income is $370,600 and their 20-year projected income is $775,840.

Photos & Videos

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