Old Dominion vs. NSU

Should I go to Old Dominion University or Norfolk State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Old Dominion or NSU 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.

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Old Dominion University vs. Norfolk State University comparison
Old Dominion University Norfolk State University College 3 College 4
Old Dominion University Norfolk State University
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Overview

Old Dominion NSU
Location Norfolk, VA Norfolk, VA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 22,541 6,045
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #558 #999
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website odu.edu nsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Old Dominion NSU
Tuition (In State) $7,590 $5,926
Tuition (Out of State) $27,465 $17,428
Room & Board $14,592 $11,692
Avg Net Price $16,150 $12,272
Avg Grant Aid $10,006 $11,153
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 97%

Admission

Old Dominion NSU
Applied 15,216 10,211
Admitted 13,773 8,931
Acceptance Rate 90.5% 87.5%
Enrolled % 19.7% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 2.9
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Average Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/27 16/21
SAT Range 1110/1290 840/1100
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026 May 31, 2026

Academics

Old Dominion NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Old Dominion NSU
Graduation Rate 50% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $242 $320

Diversity

Old Dominion NSU
% Men 8% 3%
% Women 13% 5%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 47% 5%
% Black 27% 84%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 6% 3%

Students

Old Dominion NSU
% In-State 89% 65%
% Out-of-State 6% 31%

Campus

Old Dominion NSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Old Dominion University is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (22,541 students vs. 6,045 students)

Old Dominion vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Old Dominion or NSU?

  • Old Dominion University is 28.1% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($7,590.00 vs. $5,926.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.6% higher at Old Dominion than Norfolk State University ($27,465.00 vs. $17,428.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than Old Dominion ($12,272 vs. $16,150)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Norfolk State University are 24.8% lower than costs at Old Dominion University ($11,692 vs. $14,592)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Norfolk State University than Old Dominion University (97% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Norfolk State University students is 11.5% larger than aid received Old Dominion University ($11,153 vs. $10,006)

Old Dominion vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Old Dominion or NSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between NSU or Old Dominion .

  • The average SAT score at Old Dominion University (1020) is 212 points higher than at NSU (808)
  • Incoming Old Dominion students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at NSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman Old Dominion students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at NSU (2.9)
  • Old Dominion has a higher acceptance rate (90.5%) than NSU (87.5%)

Old Dominion vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Old Dominion or NSU? 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 NSU and Old Dominion.

  • The graduation rate at Old Dominion is higher than Norfolk State University (50% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Old Dominion University earn on average $10,900 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $36,700)
  • Old Dominion University students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($23,500 vs. $31,000)
  • Old Dominion graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($242 vs. $320)
  • More Old Dominion graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 27%)

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