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:

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

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

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

33. Hargrave Military Academy
> Founding date: 1909
> Population: 230
> Location: Chatham, Virginia
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory

Courtesy of Riverside Preparatory Academy via Facebook

32. Riverside Preparatory Academy
> Founding date: 1907
> Population: 530
> Location: Gainesville, Georgia
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory

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Courtesy of San Marcos Academy via Facebook

31. San Marcos Academy
> Founding date: 1907
> Population: 300
> Location: San Marcos, Texas
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory

armyrotc / Flickr

30. Benedictine Military School
> Founding date: 1902
> Population: 400
> Location: Savannah, Georgia
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory

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armyrotc / Flickr

29. Georgia Military College
> Founding date: 1900
> Population: 8,000
> Location: Milledgeville, Georgia
> Coed: Coed
> Type: Junior College

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

28. Massanutten Military Academy
> Founding date: 1899
> Population: 120
> Location: Woodstock, Virginia
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory

Courtesy of The Southern Prep Academy via Facebook

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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Courtesy of TMI Episcopal via Facebook

24. Texas Military Institute
> Founding date: 1893
> Population: 450
> Location: San Antonio, Texas
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory

John M. Chase / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

23. Randolph-Macon Academy
> Founding date: 1892
> Population: 370
> Location: Front Royal, Virginia
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory

Courtesy of New Mexico Military Institute

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

Courtesy of Missouri Military Academy via Facebook

20. Missouri Military Academy
> Founding date: 1889
> Population: 250
> Location: Mexico, Missouri
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory

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Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

19. New York Military Academy
> Founding date: 1889
> Population: 120
> Location: Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory

Courtesy of Kenosha Military Academy (KMA) Honor Guard via Facebook

18. Kenosha Military Academy
> Founding date: 1889
> Population: 900
> Location: Kenosha, Wisconsin
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory

Courtesy of St. John's Northwestern Academies via Facebook

17. St. John’s Military School
> Founding date: 1887
> Population: 230
> Location: Salina, Kansas
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory

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sshepard / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

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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armyrotc / Flickr

14. St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
> Founding date: 1884
> Population: 265
> Location: Delafield, Wisconsin
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory

94393826@N02 / Flickr

13. Fishburne Military School
> Founding date: 1879
> Population: 200
> Location: Waynesboro, Virginia
> Coed: Boys
> Type: College preparatory

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

12. US Coast Guard Academy
> Founding date: 1876
> Population: 1,200
> Location: New London, Connecticut
> Coed: Coed
> Type: Undergraduate

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SUNY Maritime College

11. SUNY Maritime College
> Founding date: 1874
> Population: 1,850
> Location: Throggs Neck, New York
> Coed: Coed
> Type: Undergraduate, Postgraduate

Courtesy of Georgia Military College via Facebook

10. The Military College of Georgia
> Founding date: 1873
> Population: 6,500
> Location: Dahlonega, Georgia
> Coed: Coed
> Type: Undergraduate, Postgraduate

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Courtesy of Maur Hill Mount Academy via Facebook

9. Maur Hill Mount Academy
> Founding date: 1863
> Population: 220
> Location: Atchison, Kansas
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory

Courtesy of Christian Brothers Academy via Facebook

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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Courtesy of La Salle Institute via Facebook

6. La Salle Institute
> Founding date: 1850
> Population: 410
> Location: Troy, New York
> Coed: Coed
> Type: College preparatory

usnavy / Flickr

5. United States Naval Academy
> Founding date: 1845
> Population: 4,500
> Location: Annapolis, Maryland
> Coed: Coed
> Type: Undergraduate

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sailaway46 / iStock via Getty Images

4. The Citadel
> Founding date: 1842
> Population: 2,300
> Location: Charleston, South Carolina
> Coed: Boys
> Type: Undergraduate

ablokhin / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

3. Virginia Military Institute
> Founding date: 1839
> Population: 1,600
> Location: Lexington, Virginia
> Coed: Boys
> Type: Undergraduate

ErikaMitchell / iStock via Getty Images

2. Norwich University
> Founding date: 1819
> Population: 3,450
> Location: Northfield, Vermont
> Coed: Boys
> Type: Undergraduate

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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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