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JMU Mason Virginia Tech Mary Washington College Old Dominion CNU VSU William & Mary UVA Hampton University WVU UMBC| Norfolk State University | Virginia Commonwealth University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
NSU | VCU | ||
| Location | Norfolk, VA | Richmond, VA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 6,045 | 28,238 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #999 | #469 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | nsu.edu | vcu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NSU | VCU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,926 | $12,850 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,428 | $34,744 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,692 | $16,119 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $12,272 | $22,852 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,153 | $12,433 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 99% |
Admission |
NSU | VCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 10,211 | 19,052 | ||
| Admitted | 8,931 | 17,729 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 87.5% | 93.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.8% | 25.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 2.9 | 3.75 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 16/21 | 22/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 840/1100 | 1030/1270 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | May 31, 2025 | Jan 18, 2025 |
Academics |
NSU | VCU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
NSU | VCU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 33% | 53% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $36,700 | $47,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 27% | 56% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $31,000 | $23,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $320 | $240 |
Diversity |
NSU | VCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 3% | 8% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 17% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | Yes | No | ||
| % White | 5% | 50% | ||
| % Black | 84% | 18% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 6% | ||
| % International | 0% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
NSU | VCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 65% | 92% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 31% | 6% | ||
Campus |
NSU | VCU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (28,238 students vs. 6,045 students)
NSU vs. VCU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NSU or VCU?
- Virginia Commonwealth University is 116.8% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($12,850.00 vs. $5,926.00)
- Out of state tuition is 99.4% higher at VCU than Norfolk State University ($34,744.00 vs. $17,428.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than VCU ($12,272 vs. $22,852)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Norfolk State University are 37.9% lower than costs at Virginia Commonwealth University ($11,692 vs. $16,119)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than Norfolk State University (99% vs. 97%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 11.5% larger than aid received Norfolk State University ($12,433 vs. $11,153)
NSU vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NSU or VCU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VCU or NSU .
- The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 289 points higher than at NSU (808)
- Incoming VCU students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at NSU (17)
- Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.85 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at NSU (2.9)
- VCU has a higher acceptance rate (93.1%) than NSU (87.5%)
NSU vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NSU or VCU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between VCU and NSU.
- The graduation rate at VCU is higher than Norfolk State University (53% vs. 33%)
- Graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn on average $10,800 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $36,700)
- Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $7,750 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($23,250 vs. $31,000)
- VCU graduates are paying $80 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($240 vs. $320)
- More VCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 27%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/