One CC. Two real targets.
The Vermont transfer math is narrow.
Vermont students considering the CC-first path are working with a tight system: one community college, nine four-year destinations, and 1,340 total annual transfers. The decision usually comes down to whether to target the University of Vermont for better outcomes or Vermont State University for easier access.
Vermont has 9 four-year institutions and 1 community college. 1,340 transfers were admitted across top universities, with Vermont State University alone accounting for 535 admits at an 82% overall acceptance rate — but UVM's 79% graduation rate and $62,472 earnings set a distinctly higher outcome bar.
Vermont's small transfer market has two clear targets and one community college
Vermont has 9 four-year institutions and 1 community college — Community College of Vermont — with 1,340 transfers admitted across the destination set. The landscape is compact by design: Vermont is a small state with a small higher-ed system. Vermont State University dominates by volume with 535 admits at an 82% overall acceptance rate, but its 46% six-year graduation rate and $50,331 in 10-year median earnings sit well below the University of Vermont's profile — 79% graduation rate and $62,472 in earnings, with 312 admits at 65% acceptance. Norwich University adds a third credible path with $65,575 in earnings and a 60% graduation rate, though at a private price point. Community College of Vermont enrolls 5,028 students and sends out 379 annual transfers — a modest but real pipeline given the state's size. Median debt across Vermont's four-year destinations is $23,000 — not extreme — but the earnings spread between the state's top and bottom destinations is wide: $65,575 at Norwich versus $29,813 at Landmark College, a gap that makes destination choice the most consequential variable in the Vermont transfer decision.
Vermont has 9 four-year institutions and 1 community college, and the transfer system here is about as compact as it gets in the continental United States. Community College of Vermont in Montpelier enrolls 5,028 students and sends out 379 annual transfers. There are no competing feeder institutions, no large urban CC system — just one entry point into the pipeline.
The 1,340 aggregate transfers across Vermont's destination set split unevenly. Vermont State University absorbs 535 — nearly 40% of the total — at an 82% overall acceptance rate, but its 46% six-year graduation rate is the number that complicates that picture. The University of Vermont, Vermont's flagship research university in Burlington, admitted 312 transfers at 65% acceptance with a 79% graduation rate and $62,472 in 10-year median earnings. Those are two different transfer destinations with fundamentally different outcome profiles, and for a Vermont CC student weighing where to aim, that gap is the central editorial question of the state's transfer landscape.
Vermont's CC-to-university transfer pipeline by the numbers
With 1,340 annual transfers across 9 four-year institutions, Vermont's transfer market is small but functional. The state's median 10-year earnings across destinations sits at $58,386 — the Champlain College figure — with a median debt of $23,000.
- ✓ University of Vermont posts a 79% six-year graduation rate and $62,472 in 10-year median earnings — the strongest completion profile in the state's destination set.
- ✓ Norwich University leads the state on 10-year earnings at $65,575 with a 60% graduation rate — a strong outcome for a private institution admitting 159 transfers at 74% acceptance.
- ✓ Vermont State University admitted 535 transfers at an 82% overall acceptance rate — the highest volume in the state and broadly accessible for students building their academic record first.
- ✓ Saint Michael's College admitted 36 transfers at 85% acceptance with a 73% graduation rate and $61,317 in earnings — a solid small-college option with comparable outcomes to UVM.
- ! Vermont State University, the highest-volume destination at 535 admits, posts only a 46% six-year graduation rate — meaning roughly half of enrolled students do not finish within six years.
- ! Landmark College posts a 14% six-year graduation rate and $29,813 in 10-year earnings — the weakest outcome profile in the state's destination set by a significant margin.
- ! Vermont has only one community college in the dataset, leaving students with no geographic or institutional choice at the feeder level before targeting a four-year destination.
- ! Vermont's aggregate transfer intake of 1,340 across 9 four-year institutions is modest — students outside the Burlington metro area have limited in-state options.
Top transfer destinations
Vermont State University leads all transfer destinations with 535 admits at an 82% overall acceptance rate, though the University of Vermont is the stronger-outcome target with a 79% graduation rate and $62,472 in 10-year median earnings on 312 admits.
| University | Transfers admitted | Accept rate | 6-yr grad rate | 10-yr earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont State University Randolph | 535 | 82% | 46% | $50,331 | $15,000 |
| University of Vermont Burlington | 312 | 65% | 79% | $62,472 | $20,951 |
| Champlain College Burlington | 165 | 83% | 65% | $58,386 | $26,814 |
| Norwich University Northfield | 159 | 74% | 60% | $65,575 | $25,000 |
| Bennington College Bennington | 57 | 45% | 71% | $38,289 | $26,000 |
| Landmark College Putney | 57 | 49% | 14% | $29,813 | $17,500 |
| Saint Michael's College Colchester | 36 | 85% | 73% | $61,317 | $26,922 |
| Goddard College Plainfield | 24 | 20% | 75% | — | — |
Vermont State University is the #1 transfer destination by volume — 535 admits at an 82% overall acceptance rate — making it the most accessible four-year path in the state for CC students. The University of Vermont is next at 312 admits, more selective at 65% acceptance, and it runs $12,000 ahead on 10-year earnings ($62,472 vs. $50,331) with a graduation rate 33 percentage points higher (79% vs. 46%). Champlain College in Burlington adds 165 admits at a 83% acceptance rate — nearly as open as Vermont State — with $58,386 in earnings and a 65% graduation rate that clears the state median. Norwich University in Northfield rounds out the credible cluster with 159 admits, 74% acceptance, and the state's highest 10-year earnings at $65,575.
Selectivity across Vermont's destinations runs from genuinely open to moderately selective. Bennington College is the tightest at 45% overall acceptance — a small liberal arts institution that admitted only 57 transfers with a 71% graduation rate and $38,289 in earnings. Landmark College in Putney also admitted 57 transfers at a 49% acceptance rate, but posts a 14% graduation rate and $29,813 in earnings — the weakest completion and outcome profile in the state's dataset. One clarification worth making: these acceptance rates come from IPEDS overall figures and reflect all applicants, not transfer applicants specifically. The actual transfer acceptance rate at any institution may differ from what is shown here.
The earnings picture in Vermont clusters in a relatively narrow band at the top — Norwich ($65,575), UVM ($62,472), Saint Michael's ($61,317), Champlain ($58,386) — before dropping sharply at Vermont State ($50,331), Sterling College ($30,573), and Landmark College ($29,813). The highest-earnings destinations are not the most accessible: Norwich (74% acceptance) and UVM (65% acceptance) demand more from applicants than Vermont State or Champlain. For students willing to target UVM or Norwich, the outcome premium is real. For students who need an accessible fallback, Vermont State is the volume destination — but the graduation rate data is the honest caveat that needs to travel with that recommendation.
Vermont community colleges at a glance
Vermont has one community college in the dataset: Community College of Vermont, based in Montpelier, which enrolls 5,028 students and sends 379 students annually to four-year programs. It is the sole feeder institution in the state.
Community College of Vermont
- Undergrad5,028
- Transfers-in379
- 10-yr earnings$36,234
- Grad rate20%
6-year completion rates at top destinations
The six-year graduation rates shown here are overall institutional rates from IPEDS for all enrolled students — not transfer-student-specific completion figures, which are not available in this dataset. They reflect institutional finishing power, not transfer cohort outcomes specifically.
The University of Vermont leads Vermont's completion grid at 79% — a strong number for a research university of its size and the highest in the state's destination set. Saint Michael's College follows at 73% and Bennington College at 71%. Together, those three institutions represent the top tier of finishing power in the Vermont dataset. The spread across the full grid is stark: the gap between UVM's 79% and Landmark College's 14% is 65 percentage points. That is not a marginal difference in institutional quality — it reflects fundamentally different student completion environments.
Vermont State University's position in this grid deserves specific attention. As the highest-volume transfer destination in the state at 535 admits, its 46% six-year graduation rate means roughly half of enrolled students do not finish within six years. For a student choosing it as a transfer destination specifically because of its accessibility, that number should factor into the calculation. These graduation rates are overall six-year figures from IPEDS for all enrolled students — transfer-specific completion data is not available in this dataset — so the numbers reflect institutional patterns, not transfer cohort outcomes specifically. But institutions where general completion rates are low rarely perform dramatically better for transfer students.
What a bachelor's degree is worth here
The fastest-growing occupations in the state where a bachelor's degree is the typical entry credential — the jobs waiting on the other side of a completed transfer.
| Occupation | Projected growth | Avg openings / yr |
|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | +34.8% | 160 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | +30.5% | 120 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | +18.4% | 120 |
| Financial Managers | +18.4% | 140 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | +17.9% | 100 |
| Management Analysts | +17.3% | 170 |
| Coaches and Scouts | +15.4% | 100 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | +14.2% | 120 |
The data supports a clear recommendation for Vermont students targeting four-year outcomes: aim for the University of Vermont. With a 79% graduation rate, $62,472 in 10-year median earnings, and 312 annual transfer admits at a 65% overall acceptance rate, UVM delivers outcomes that no other Vermont destination matches. Community College of Vermont is the only feeder institution in the state, and its 379 annual transfers confirm the pipeline runs. A student who spends two years at CCV building a competitive record and targets UVM is making the transfer move that the Vermont data most strongly supports.
The recommendation shifts in two specific cases. First, if Vermont State University is the target — accessible at 82% acceptance and lower median debt at $15,000 — the 46% graduation rate is the variable that should cause pause. Starting at CCV to transfer into an institution where roughly half of students do not finish within six years is a lower-return move than it might appear. Second, Norwich University ($65,575 earnings, 74% acceptance) and Saint Michael's College ($61,317 earnings, 73% graduation rate) are legitimate alternatives for students who do not qualify for UVM but want outcomes closer to the flagship tier. Vermont's transfer system is compact enough that the decision is not about navigating a complex state network — it is about being honest about which destination's outcome profile matches the student's goals.
How we built Vermont's transfer picture
Destination universities are Vermont's 4-year institutions ranked by IPEDS transfer-in volume; we filter out community colleges that IPEDS files under the 4-year sector because they run bachelor's-pilot programs but remain open-admission. Community college spotlights are ranked by IPEDS undergraduate enrollment. 10-year median earnings and median debt at graduation come from College Scorecard; graduation rates come from IPEDS 6-year overall cohorts. Phase 1 deliberately leaves out transfer-specific completion rates (NSC), structured articulation-agreement data (ASSIST, ADT, TAG, FLVC, etc.), and state-funding context — all Phase 2.
Common questions
Is it worth starting at Community College of Vermont before transferring to UVM or Vermont State?
The case depends on the target. For the University of Vermont — 79% graduation rate, $62,472 in 10-year median earnings, 312 annual transfer admits at 65% overall acceptance — the CC-first path is a legitimate route for students who need time to strengthen their academic record before applying. Vermont State University is more accessible at 82% acceptance but posts a 46% graduation rate; starting at CCV to transfer there is a lower-stakes move, but the outcome ceiling is lower too. Community College of Vermont sends 379 students annually to four-year programs, so the pipeline exists. The honest calculus: if UVM is the goal, CC-first is worth considering. If the destination is Vermont State, the graduation rate data warrants careful scrutiny of which program and campus fits best.
Which Vermont university accepts the most transfer students?
Vermont State University leads all Vermont destinations by transfer volume with 535 admits at an 82% overall acceptance rate. The University of Vermont follows with 312 admits at a 65% overall acceptance rate — more selective and with materially stronger outcomes: a 79% graduation rate versus Vermont State's 46%, and $62,472 in 10-year median earnings versus $50,331. Champlain College in Burlington is the third-largest destination at 165 admits with an 83% acceptance rate and $58,386 in earnings. Together these three institutions account for roughly 75% of Vermont's tracked transfer volume.
How do Vermont's top transfer destinations compare on graduation rates?
The spread across Vermont's destination set is wide and consequential. University of Vermont leads at 79%, followed by Saint Michael's College at 73%, Bennington College at 71%, and Champlain College at 65%. Norwich University sits at 60%. The sharp drop comes at Vermont State University — the highest-volume destination — which posts a 46% graduation rate, and Sterling College at 32%. Landmark College posts 14%, the lowest figure in the dataset. These are overall six-year graduation rates from IPEDS, not transfer-specific completion rates, which are not available in this dataset. But an institution where fewer than half of enrolled students finish within six years presents real completion risk, regardless of how accessible the transfer process is.
What are the 10-year earnings outcomes at Vermont's top transfer destinations?
Norwich University leads the state at $65,575 in 10-year median earnings, followed by the University of Vermont at $62,472 and Saint Michael's College at $61,317. Champlain College sits at $58,386 — the state median across the destination set — and Norwich University, despite being a private institution with $25,000 in median debt, delivers the strongest earnings of any Vermont destination. The notable outliers on the low end are Landmark College at $29,813 and Sterling College at $30,573 — both well below the state median and both with graduation rates under 35%. Vermont State University, the highest-volume destination, posts $50,331, which is not extreme but is $12,000 below the University of Vermont's figure.
Does Vermont State University or the University of Vermont offer a better transfer path?
For accessibility, Vermont State University has the stronger transfer case: 535 admits versus UVM's 312, and an 82% overall acceptance rate versus UVM's 65%. For outcomes, it is not close — the University of Vermont posts a 79% graduation rate and $62,472 in 10-year median earnings, compared to Vermont State's 46% graduation rate and $50,331 in earnings. Median debt is meaningfully lower at Vermont State ($15,000 vs. $20,951), which partially offsets the outcome gap if cost is the primary concern. The practical framing: Vermont State is the lower-risk transfer destination in terms of admissions; UVM is the higher-outcome destination for students who can qualify. The graduation rate gap — 33 percentage points — is not a nuance. It is the central variable in this comparison.
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