Old Dominion University

Established in 1930, Old Dominion University is a public doctoral research university located in Norfolk, Virginia. Forbes and Statista also named it one of America’s Best In-state Employers 2024. It ranks at #296 in the 2025 edition of the National Universities category of a top-ranking publisher.

The total number of students at this university is nearly 24,000. Out of this, the total no. of UG students is 17,746 and no. of PG students is 5,997. ODU has students from hometowns across Virginia and around the world. There are 700+ international students at the university. In the context of course offerings, ODU offers more than 228 degree courses. As per the details available officially, Old Dominion University acceptance rate is around 91%.

Things to Know about ODU

A few of the important facts about Old Dominion University:

History

Old Dominion University was founded in 1930. It was established as an extension of William and Mary in Williamsburg and Virginia Polytechnic Institute. This two-year school rapidly evolved into a 4-year institution and was granted independence in 1962 as Old Dominion College. In 1969, Old Dominion College got university status was renamed Old Dominion University. The university offers master’s degrees since 1964 and PhD degrees since 1971.

Check out the below videos of Old Dominion University for more Information:

ODU application deadline for international students for the Fall semester closed. Check Old Dominion University Reviews from here. 

Established in 1930, Old Dominion University is a public doctoral research university located in Norfolk, Virginia. Forbes and Statista also named it one of America’s Best In-state Employers 2024. It ranks at #296 in the 2025 edition of the National Universities category of a top-ranking publisher.

The total number of students at this university is nearly 24,000. Out of this, the total no. of UG students is 17,746 and no. of PG students is 5,997. ODU has students from hometowns across Virginia and around the world. There are 700+ international students at the university. In the context of course offerings, ODU offers more than 228 degree courses. As per the details available officially, Old Dominion University acceptance rate is around 91%.

Things to Know about ODU

A few of the important facts about Old Dominion University:

History

Old Dominion University was founded in 1930. It was established as an extension of William and Mary in Williamsburg and Virginia Polytechnic Institute. This two-year school rapidly evolved into a 4-year institution and was granted independence in 1962 as Old Dominion College. In 1969, Old Dominion College got university status was renamed Old Dominion University. The university offers master’s degrees since 1964 and PhD degrees since 1971.

Check out the below videos of Old Dominion University for more Information:

ODU offers ISS Merit Scholarship and #YouAreWelcomeHere for undergraduate students. ISS Merit Scholarship awards are up to USD 16,000 annually for qualified students. This scholarship is renewable for up to 4 years. The eligibility criteria for this scholarship are given below:

• Apply as per the specified deadline
• Cumulative 3.25 GPA
• Newly admitted and pursuing a UG degree
• Supplemental materials required are one page essay indicating academic intent and personal goals. TOEFL and SAT are optional, but highly recommended

Also Check: Old Dominion University Scholarships

Old Dominion University offers more than 228 courses. Out of this, 55+ are Bachelor’s courses and 55+ are Master’s courses. Doctoral and Certificate courses are also offered by this university. Study areas at this university are Arts; Business & Management; Computer Science & Math; Engineering & Technology; Humanities; Natural Sciences; Social & Behavioral Sciences, etc. Check details about Old Dominion University courses from here.

The alumni of this university studied the courses like Business Administration and Management; Psychology; Mechanical Engineering; Marketing; Information Technology, Electrical & Electronics Engineering, etc.

Some of the popular celebrities who have studied at ODU include Anne Donovan, Justin Verlander, Elizabeth Duke, Jay Harris, etc.

Name	Profession	Images
Anne Donovan	Women’s Basketball Player and Coach
Justin Verlander	Professional Baseball Pitcher
Elizabeth Duke	Bank Executive who served as a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors
Jay Harris	Journalist
Jodi Rell	Former Politician
Michael Bloomfield	Former Astronaut

89% of the ODU graduates are employed or in graduate school 6 months after graduation. Also, ODU is named America’s Best In-state employers 2024 as per Forbes and Statista.

Alumni Statistics: Sectors Placed

Some of the industries where ODU graduates are employed are Business Development, Operations, Engineering, Healthcare Services, Sales, IT, etc.

ROI after Education from ODU

After graduating from ODU, the average base salary is USD 77,000 per year (Around INR 66 L), as per Payscale.com. The tuition fee at ODU is around INR 19 L - INR 45 L. This shows that studying at this university would lead to a higher ROI.

Top Employers

The graduates of ODU work with the employers listed below:

• U.S. Navy
• ADP
• Amazon
• Capital One
• Microsoft
• Elevance Health
• Sentara Health
• Booz Allen Hamilton

The annual tuition fee to study at ODU isINR 19 L – INR 44.2 L. Check tuition fees from table given below:

Cost of Living: To learn about Old Dominion University cost of attendance it is important to know the cost of living as well. Estimated cost of living 2025 is given as follows:

ODU application deadline for international students for the Fall semester closed. Check Old Dominion University Reviews from here. 

Students seeking admission to Old Dominion University have to fill the online application form, submit mandatory documents and pay the application fee. Old Dominion University accepts some exam scores at the time of admission, including English language exams. Some of the exam scores that Indian students have to submit for admission are IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, Duolingo, GRE and GMAT. The documents that have to be submitted are SOP, LOR, Essay and CV.

One of the top universities in the USA, Old Dominion University ranks at #167 nationally in 2026, as per Shiksha Popularity rankings. For 2026, Old Dominion University stood at #555 in the world rankings. Subject rankings of Old Dominion University are also provided below:

By Other Ranking Bodies

Apart from Shiksha Popularity ranking, US News has also ranked the university globally. It ranks Old Dominion University at #293 in 2026. Old Dominion University ranking stood at #801 as per THE in 2026 and #801 by ARWU in 2025, globally.

To get involved with ODU campus life, students can take part in any one of the 300+ student organizations. The categories of the student organizations are Cultural, Recreational, Sport Club, Educational, etc. Also, the university offers great programs, facilities, and services to promote healthy and active lifestyles. To enjoy the arts, Arts@ODU offers a rich array of performing, visual, and literary arts featuring internationally celebrated guests and innovative works by students and faculty.

Campus Location

ODU Waterfront campus in the coastal city of Norfolk, VA, is home to Naval Station Norfolk. The main campus of the ODU sits on 337 acres.