Northern Virginia Community College vs. VCU

Should I go to Northern Virginia Community College or Virginia Commonwealth University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northern Virginia Community College or VCU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

JMU Mason Virginia Tech Mary Washington College Old Dominion CNU William & Mary Montgomery College UVA WVU UMBC Howard
Northern Virginia Community College vs. Virginia Commonwealth University comparison
Northern Virginia Community College Virginia Commonwealth University College 3 College 4
Northern Virginia Community College Virginia Commonwealth University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Northern Virginia Community College VCU
Location Annandale, VA Richmond, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 51,896 28,082
Type Public 2 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nvcc.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Virginia Community College VCU
Tuition (In State) $5,412 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $10,790 $33,726
Room & Board $8,690 $12,279
Avg Net Price $10,109 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $8,876 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 83%

Admission

Northern Virginia Community College VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 18,242
Admitted - 16,600
Acceptance Rate Open 91%
Enrolled % Open 25.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.75
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30
SAT Range 1030/1290
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 18, 2024

Academics

Northern Virginia Community College VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 28:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (43%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

Northern Virginia Community College VCU
Graduation Rate - 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,100 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $113 $240

Diversity

Northern Virginia Community College VCU
% Men 48% 36%
% Women 52% 64%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 35% 50%
% Black 18% 18%
% Hispanic 22% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Northern Virginia Community College VCU
% In-State 98% 92%
% Out-of-State 1% 6%

Campus

Northern Virginia Community College VCU
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Virginia Community College is larger than than VCU based on total student enrollment (51,896 students vs. 28,082 students)

Northern Virginia Community College vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Virginia Community College or VCU?

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is 130.2% more expensive to attend than Northern Virginia Community College for in-state tuition ($12,458.00 vs. $5,412.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 212.6% higher at VCU than Northern Virginia Community College ($33,726.00 vs. $10,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Virginia Community College than VCU ($10,109 vs. $21,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Virginia Community College are 41.3% lower than costs at Virginia Commonwealth University ($8,690 vs. $12,279)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than Northern Virginia Community College (83% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 41.8% larger than aid received Northern Virginia Community College ($12,583 vs. $8,876)

Which college is harder to get into, Northern Virginia Community College or VCU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VCU or Northern Virginia Community College .

Northern Virginia Community College vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Virginia Community College 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 Northern Virginia Community College.

  • Graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn on average $1,400 more per year than Northern Virginia Community College graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $46,100)
  • Northern Virginia Community College students graduate with a $12,250 lower median federal student loan debt than VCU graduates. ($11,000 vs. $23,250)
  • Northern Virginia Community College graduates are paying $127 less per month on federal student loans than VCU graduates. ($113 vs. $240)
  • More VCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Virginia Community College students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 45%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/