Special Report
The Oldest US Military Academies Still in Operation
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The United States has a rich history of military education and training. Several notable institutions have been around since near the inception of this country, and they have played critical roles in developing military officers. (See how much members of the U.S. military are paid at every pay grade.)
West Point, located in upstate New York, is renowned for its rigorous academic and physical training programs, preparing cadets for leadership roles in the military. It is one of the oldest military academies in the nation with its roots dating back to George Washington, though it was President Thomas Jefferson who signed legislation to establish the academy. West Point has produced many distinguished graduates, including two U.S. presidents, several members of Congress, and numerous military leaders.
Other than West Point, there are numerous military schools nationwide. To determine the 35 oldest U.S. military academies, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed an online directory of military academies produced by Military School USA. Military academies are ranked according to their founding date, starting before the year of 1930. Supplemental data on the school’s location, type, student population, and whether or not it is coed also came from Military School USA.
Another prestigious military academy is the United States Naval Academy, located in Annapolis, Maryland. Founded in 1845, it has been training naval officers for over 175 years. The mission at the Naval Academy is focused on developing cadets “with the highest ideals of duty, honor and loyalty in order to graduate leaders who are dedicated to a career of naval service and have potential for future development in mind and character to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.”
Apart from these major academies, there are also several other military colleges and universities throughout the U.S. that predate the Civil War. These include The Citadel in South Carolina, founded in 1842, and Virginia Military Institute, founded in 1839. (Today, these are the highest paying college majors.)
The oldest military academies in the United States are mostly on the East Coast, where the country was founded. In fact, only one of the 10 oldest academies is located outside of the East Coast.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly referred to La Salle Institute as a boys only school. La Salle went coeducational in 2021.
Here’s a look at the 35 oldest U.S. military academies:
35. Valley Forge Military Academy and College
> Founding date: 1928
> Population: 280
> Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory
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34. Leonard Hall Junior Naval Academy
> Founding date: 1909
> Population: 50
> Location: Leonardtown, Maryland
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory
33. Hargrave Military Academy
> Founding date: 1909
> Population: 230
> Location: Chatham, Virginia
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory
32. Riverside Preparatory Academy
> Founding date: 1907
> Population: 530
> Location: Gainesville, Georgia
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory
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31. San Marcos Academy
> Founding date: 1907
> Population: 300
> Location: San Marcos, Texas
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory
30. Benedictine Military School
> Founding date: 1902
> Population: 400
> Location: Savannah, Georgia
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory
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29. Georgia Military College
> Founding date: 1900
> Population: 8,000
> Location: Milledgeville, Georgia
> Coed: Coed
> Type: Junior College
28. Massanutten Military Academy
> Founding date: 1899
> Population: 120
> Location: Woodstock, Virginia
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory
27. Southern Prep Academy
> Founding date: 1898
> Population: 115
> Location: Camp Hill, Alabama
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory
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26. Fork Union Military Academy
> Founding date: 1898
> Population: 500
> Location: Fork Union, Virginia
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory
25. Culver Military Academy
> Founding date: 1894
> Population: 850
> Location: Culver, Indiana
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory
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24. Texas Military Institute
> Founding date: 1893
> Population: 450
> Location: San Antonio, Texas
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory
23. Randolph-Macon Academy
> Founding date: 1892
> Population: 370
> Location: Front Royal, Virginia
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory
22. New Mexico Military Institute
> Founding date: 1891
> Population: 870
> Location: Roswell, New Mexico
> Coed: Coed
> Type: Junior College, College Preparatory
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21. St. Catherine’s Academy
> Founding date: 1889
> Population: 150
> Location: Anaheim, California
> Coed: Boys
> Type: Kindergarten – 8th grade
20. Missouri Military Academy
> Founding date: 1889
> Population: 250
> Location: Mexico, Missouri
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory
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19. New York Military Academy
> Founding date: 1889
> Population: 120
> Location: Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory
18. Kenosha Military Academy
> Founding date: 1889
> Population: 900
> Location: Kenosha, Wisconsin
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory
17. St. John’s Military School
> Founding date: 1887
> Population: 230
> Location: Salina, Kansas
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory
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16. St. Thomas Academy
> Founding date: 1885
> Population: 695
> Location: Mendota Heights, Minnesota
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory
15. US Naval War College
> Founding date: 1884
> Population: 4,000
> Location: Newport, Rhode Island
> Coed: Coed
> Type: Undergraduate
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14. St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
> Founding date: 1884
> Population: 265
> Location: Delafield, Wisconsin
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory
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13. Fishburne Military School
> Founding date: 1879
> Population: 200
> Location: Waynesboro, Virginia
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory
12. US Coast Guard Academy
> Founding date: 1876
> Population: 1,200
> Location: New London, Connecticut
> Coed: Coed
> Type: Undergraduate
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11. SUNY Maritime College
> Founding date: 1874
> Population: 1,850
> Location: Throggs Neck, New York
> Coed: Coed
> Type: Undergraduate, Postgraduate
10. The Military College of Georgia
> Founding date: 1873
> Population: 6,500
> Location: Dahlonega, Georgia
> Coed: Coed
> Type: Undergraduate, Postgraduate
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9. Maur Hill Mount Academy
> Founding date: 1863
> Population: 220
> Location: Atchison, Kansas
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory
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8. Christian Brothers Academy
> Founding date: 1859
> Population: 300
> Location: Albany, New York
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory
7. Oak Ridge Military Academy
> Founding date: 1852
> Population: 65
> Location: Oak Ridge, North Carolina
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory
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6. La Salle Institute
> Founding date: 1850
> Population: 410
> Location: Troy, New York
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory
5. United States Naval Academy
> Founding date: 1845
> Population: 4,500
> Location: Annapolis, Maryland
> Coed: Coed
> Type: Undergraduate
[in-text-ad]
4. The Citadel
> Founding date: 1842
> Population: 2,300
> Location: Charleston, South Carolina
> Coed: Boys
> Type: Undergraduate
3. Virginia Military Institute
> Founding date: 1839
> Population: 1,600
> Location: Lexington, Virginia
> Coed: Boys
> Type: Undergraduate
2. Norwich University
> Founding date: 1819
> Population: 3,450
> Location: Northfield, Vermont
> Coed: Boys
> Type: Undergraduate
[in-text-ad-2]
1. Military Academy at West Point
> Founding date: 1802
> Population: 4,600
> Location: West Point, New York
> Coed: Coed
> Type: Undergraduate
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