PAFA vs. VSU

Should I go to Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts or Virginia State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PAFA or VSU 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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Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts vs. Virginia State University comparison
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Virginia State University College 3 College 4
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Virginia State University
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Overview

PAFA VSU
Location Philadelphia, PA Petersburg, VA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 172 4,648
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #980
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pafa.org vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PAFA VSU
Tuition (In State) $40,500 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $40,500 $16,542
Room & Board $17,512 $11,544
Avg Net Price $48,191 $15,773
Avg Grant Aid $16,087 $11,498
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 92%

Admission

PAFA VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 183 8,230
Admitted 167 7,384
Acceptance Rate 91.3% 89.7%
Enrolled % 11.4% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA - 2.85
Typical High School Grades - B-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 14/17
SAT Range 830/1030
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2024 May 1, 2024

Academics

PAFA VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

PAFA VSU
Graduation Rate 73% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $22,000 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,500 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $274 $305

Diversity

PAFA VSU
% Men 31% 40%
% Women 69% 60%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 61% 3%
% Black 5% 87%
% Hispanic 7% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 0%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 7%

Students

PAFA VSU
% In-State 53% 72%
% Out-of-State 42% 27%

Campus

PAFA VSU
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia State University is larger than than PAFA based on total student enrollment (4,648 students vs. 172 students)

PAFA vs. VSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PAFA or VSU?

  • Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is 631% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($40,500.00 vs. $5,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 144.8% higher at PAFA than Virginia State University ($40,500.00 vs. $16,542.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia State University than PAFA ($15,773 vs. $48,191)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia State University are 51.7% lower than costs at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($11,544 vs. $17,512)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia State University than Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (92% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts students is 39.9% larger than aid received Virginia State University ($16,087 vs. $11,498)

PAFA vs. VSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • PAFA has a higher acceptance rate (91.3%) than VSU (89.7%)

PAFA vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PAFA or VSU? 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 VSU and PAFA.

  • The graduation rate at PAFA is higher than Virginia State University (73% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Virginia State University earn on average $14,700 more per year than PAFA graduates after ten years. ($36,700 vs. $22,000)
  • Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($26,500 vs. $29,500)
  • PAFA graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($274 vs. $305)
  • More PAFA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 28%)

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