Fast Facts

Character

• Independent, coeducational, four-year liberal arts college
• Second oldest Lutheran-related college in America
• Never sectarian in its outlook, the College welcomes students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin.

Location

• Located in the heart of historic Salem, Virginia (population 25,000)
• Ten minutes from the city of Roanoke (metro population approximately 300,000)
• One mile from Interstate 81
• 10 miles from the Appalachian Trail
• Roanoke is consistently ranked one of the best places to live in the United States

Students

• Approximately 2,100 full-time students
• Students come from about 40 states and 25 countries
• About 70% of students live on campus at Roanoke

Faculty

• 129 tenure-track faculty
• Over 95% hold the highest degrees in their fields and include graduates of Duke, Cornell, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Princeton, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Virginia and Yale

Academics

• A unique core curriculum replaces typical introductory courses with a wide selection of topic-based classes
• 37 majors, 33 minors, 24 concentrations and 780 courses during a two-semester academic year
• Average class size is 18 (The largest class is 53, the smallest is 3, 94% of all classes have fewer than 30)
• Student-to-faculty ratio is 14:1
• Degrees offered: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Business Administration
• Dual-degree engineering programs with Virginia Tech and the University of Tennessee Knoxville
• Elementary and secondary teacher licensure
• Pre-professional programs: dentistry, engineering, law, medicine, ministry, nursing, pharmacy and veterinary medicine
• Foreign Languages Available: Ancient Greek, Chinese (Mandarin), English as a second language, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Russian and Spanish

Campus and Facilities

• 80-acre main campus is picturesque, historic and safe
• 54 buildings
• The Administration Building, Francis T. West Hall, Trout Hall, Bittle Hall, Monterrey and Miller Hall are listed on the Virginia and National Historic registries
• F.W. Olin Hall for Arts and Humanities is the College's fine arts center with galleries, theaters, classrooms and studios

Firsthand Learning Opportunities

• A unique core curriculum replaces typical introductory courses with a wide selection of topic-based classes
• Intensive Learning Term (May Term)
• Honors program
• Summer Scholars program
• Undergraduate Research Assistants Program
• Study Abroad with more than 100 overseas options
• Washington, D.C. internship program
• Internships

Student Life

• More than 100 clubs, including fraternities and sororities
• Ethnic and religious organizations

Athletics

• 9 men’s and 10 women’s teams compete in Varsity Division III sports
• 18 intramural and club sports programs and an extensive Outdoor Adventures program

Community Service

• Service day for freshmen during orientation, providing more than 1,400 hours of service for various local agencies
• Service benefits local schools, Habitat for Humanity, Roanoke Area Ministries, the American Cancer Society, West End Center for youth, Head Start and a host of other organizations throughout the year

Costs and Financial Aid

• Tuition for the 2011-2012 academic year is $31,950
• Room and Board for the 2011-2012 academic year is $10,772
• Roanoke College makes every effort to see that no worthy student is denied an opportunity to attend because of financial circumstances
• 85 percent of Roanoke's full-time students receive financial assistance of some kind
• In 2011/2012, the total average financial aid award for a new student who filed the FAFSA is $25,486

National Recognition-Top 10% Nationally

• Top 9%: The Princeton Review's Best 376 Colleges 2012
• Top 9%: Forbes magazine's "America's Best Colleges"
• Top 7%: Only 280 institutions have the academic credentials to house a prestigious Phi Beta Kappa honor society chapter
• #7: U.S. News & World Report lists Roanoke College as an "Up-and-coming National Liberal Arts College"
• #1: Campus Activities Magazine recognized Roanoke as the "2009 Campus of the Year" for student activity programming

Accreditation

• Roanoke College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Business Administration degrees. Contact the Commissions on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Roanoke College. The three-fold purpose for publishing the Commission's address and contact numbers is to enable interested constituents (1) to learn about the accreditation status of the institution, (2) to file a third-party comment at the time of the institution's decennial review, or (3) to file a complaint against the institution for alleged non-compliance with a standard or requirement. Note that normal inquiries about the institution, such as admission requirements, financial aid, educational programs, etc., should be addressed directly to Roanoke College and not to the Commission's office.
• The Business Administration program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools & Programs
• The Chemistry program is accredited by the American Chemical Society
• The Teacher Licensure Program is accredited by the Virginia Department of Education
• Athletic Training major is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education

Learn more.

Alumni

• 16,886 graduates in 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico, Canada and 36 other foreign countries
• 12 alumni chapters