Military education and training are part of the long history of the United States. Almost since its establishment as a nation, there have been military institutions in America and these have played critical roles in developing military officers. The United States Military Academy, also known as West Point, is one of the longest-standing military academies and was originally intended as a school for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. (See how much the American military makes at every pay grade.)
West Point, located in Orange County in upstate New York, is not only the longest-standing military academy in the nation but also the world. It is renowned for its rigorous academic and physical training programs, preparing cadets for leadership roles in the military, and has 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.
In addition to West Point, there are numerous military schools nationwide. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed an online directory of military academies produced by Military School USA to determine the 35 oldest U.S. military academies. These academies are ranked according to their founding date, starting before the year 1930. Supplemental data on the school’s location, type, student population, and whether or not it is coed also came from Military School USA.
The United States Naval Academy is another prestigious military academy. Founded in 1845, It is located in Annapolis, Maryland, and 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 the potential for future development in mind and character to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship, and government.”
Several of these military colleges and universities throughout the U.S. predate the Civil War. These include The Citadel in South Carolina, founded in 1842, and Virginia Military Institute, founded in 1839. (Today, this is the largest US Military contractor in every state.) These longest-standing military academies in the United States are mostly on the East Coast, where the country was founded. Only one of the 10 oldest academies is located outside of the East Coast.
Here are the longest-standing active military academies in the US
35. Valley Forge Military Academy and College
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Founding date: 1928
- Population: 280
- Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
- Coed: Boys
- Type: College preparatory
34. Leonard Hall Junior Naval Academy
- Founding date: 1909
- Population: 50
- Location: Leonardtown, Maryland
- Coed: Coed
- Type: College preparatory
33. Hargrave Military Academy
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Founding date: 1909
- Population: 230
- Location: Chatham, Virginia
- Coed: Boys
- Type: College preparatory
32. Riverside Preparatory Academy
Source: Courtesy of Riverside Preparatory Academy via Facebook
- Founding date: 1907
- Population: 530
- Location: Gainesville, Georgia
- Coed: Boys
- Type: College preparatory
31. San Marcos Academy
Source: Courtesy of San Marcos Academy via Facebook
- Founding date: 1907
- Population: 300
- Location: San Marcos, Texas
- Coed: Boys
- Type: College preparatory
30. Benedictine Military School
Source: armyrotc / Flickr
- Founding date: 1902
- Population: 400
- Location: Savannah, Georgia
- Coed: Boys
- Type: College preparatory
29. Georgia Military College
Source: armyrotc / Flickr
- Founding date: 1900
- Population: 8,000
- Location: Milledgeville, Georgia
- Coed: Coed
- Type: Junior College
28. Massanutten Military Academy
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Founding date: 1899
- Population: 120
- Location: Woodstock, Virginia
- Coed: Coed
- Type: College preparatory
27. Southern Prep Academy
Source: Courtesy of The Southern Prep Academy via Facebook
- Founding date: 1898
- Population: 115
- Location: Camp Hill, Alabama
- Coed: Boys
- Type: College preparatory
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
24. Texas Military Institute
Source: Courtesy of TMI Episcopal via Facebook
- Founding date: 1893
- Population: 450
- Location: San Antonio, Texas
- Coed: Coed
- Type: College preparatory
23. Randolph-Macon Academy
Source: John M. Chase / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
- Founding date: 1892
- Population: 370
- Location: Front Royal, Virginia
- Coed: Coed
- Type: College preparatory
22. New Mexico Military Institute
Source: Courtesy of New Mexico Military Institute
- Founding date: 1891
- Population: 870
- Location: Roswell, New Mexico
- Coed: Coed
- Type: Junior College, College Preparatory
21. St. Catherine’s Academy
- Founding date: 1889
- Population: 150
- Location: Anaheim, California
- Coed: Boys
- Type: Kindergarten – 8th grade
20. Missouri Military Academy
Source: Courtesy of Missouri Military Academy via Facebook
- Founding date: 1889
- Population: 250
- Location: Mexico, Missouri
- Coed: Boys
- Type: College preparatory
19. New York Military Academy
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Founding date: 1889
- Population: 120
- Location: Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York
- Coed: Coed
- Type: College preparatory
18. Kenosha Military Academy
Source: Courtesy of Kenosha Military Academy (KMA) Honor Guard via Facebook
- Founding date: 1889
- Population: 900
- Location: Kenosha, Wisconsin
- Coed: Coed
- Type: College preparatory
17. St. John’s Military School
Source: Courtesy of St. John's Northwestern Academies via Facebook
- Founding date: 1887
- Population: 230
- Location: Salina, Kansas
- Coed: Boys
- Type: College preparatory
16. St. Thomas Academy
Source: sshepard / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
- 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
14. St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
Source: armyrotc / Flickr
- Founding date: 1884
- Population: 265
- Location: Delafield, Wisconsin
- Coed: Coed
- Type: College preparatory
13. Fishburne Military School
Source: 94393826@N02 / Flickr
- Founding date: 1879
- Population: 200
- Location: Waynesboro, Virginia
- Coed: Boys
- Type: College preparatory
12. US Coast Guard Academy
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Founding date: 1876
- Population: 1,200
- Location: New London, Connecticut
- Coed: Coed
- Type: Undergraduate
11. SUNY Maritime College
Source: 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
Source: Courtesy of Georgia Military College via Facebook
- Founding date: 1873
- Population: 6,500
- Location: Dahlonega, Georgia
- Coed: Coed
- Type: Undergraduate, Postgraduate
9. Maur Hill Mount Academy
Source: Courtesy of Maur Hill Mount Academy via Facebook
- Founding date: 1863
- Population: 220
- Location: Atchison, Kansas
- Coed: Coed
- Type: College preparatory
8. Christian Brothers Academy
Source: Courtesy of Christian Brothers Academy via Facebook
- 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
6. La Salle Institute
Source: Courtesy of La Salle Institute via Facebook
- Founding date: 1850
- Population: 410
- Location: Troy, New York
- Coed: Coed
- Type: College preparatory
5. United States Naval Academy
Source: usnavy / Flickr
- Founding date: 1845
- Population: 4,500
- Location: Annapolis, Maryland
- Coed: Coed
- Type: Undergraduate
4. The Citadel
Source: sailaway46 / iStock via Getty Images
- Founding date: 1842
- Population: 2,300
- Location: Charleston, South Carolina
- Coed: Boys
- Type: Undergraduate
3. Virginia Military Institute
Source: ablokhin / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Founding date: 1839
- Population: 1,600
- Location: Lexington, Virginia
- Coed: Boys
- Type: Undergraduate
2. Norwich University
Source: ErikaMitchell / iStock via Getty Images
- Founding date: 1819
- Population: 3,450
- Location: Northfield, Vermont
- Coed: Boys
- Type: Undergraduate
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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