RU vs. SVU

Should I go to Radford University or Southern Virginia University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if RU or SVU 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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Radford University vs. Southern Virginia University comparison
Radford University Southern Virginia University College 3 College 4
Radford University Southern Virginia University
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Overview

RU SVU
Location Radford, VA Buena Vista, VA
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 7,718 1,053
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #566 #984
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website radford.edu svu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

RU SVU
Tuition (In State) $8,156 $18,858
Tuition (Out of State) $20,246 $18,858
Room & Board $10,567 $9,150
Avg Net Price $17,105 $23,274
Avg Grant Aid $9,733 $8,188
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 99%

Admission

RU SVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,442 1,090
Admitted 10,680 1,084
Acceptance Rate 93.3% 99.4%
Enrolled % 11.5% 35.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/23 18/24
SAT Range 960/1160 900/1250
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

Academics

RU SVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Work and Family Studies (12%)

Outcomes

RU SVU
Graduation Rate 56% 25%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,400 $40,600
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $23,654
Median Loan Payment $237 $244

Diversity

RU SVU
% Men 33% 53%
% Women 67% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 80%
% Black 13% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

RU SVU
% In-State 89% 12%
% Out-of-State 11% 73%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Radford University is larger than than SVU based on total student enrollment (7,718 students vs. 1,053 students)

RU vs. SVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RU or SVU?

  • Southern Virginia University is 131.2% more expensive to attend than RU for in-state tuition ($18,858.00 vs. $8,156.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.4% higher at RU than Southern Virginia University ($20,246.00 vs. $18,858.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Radford University than SVU ($17,105 vs. $23,274)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Virginia University are 15.5% lower than costs at Radford University ($9,150 vs. $10,567)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Virginia University than Radford University (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Radford University students is 18.9% larger than aid received Southern Virginia University ($9,733 vs. $8,188)

RU vs. SVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman RU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at SVU (3.19)
  • SVU has a higher acceptance rate (99.4%) than RU (93.3%)

RU vs. SVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RU or SVU? 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 SVU and RU.

  • The graduation rate at RU is higher than Southern Virginia University (56% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $6,800 more per year than SVU graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $40,600)
  • Radford University students graduate with a $654 lower median federal student loan debt than SVU graduates. ($23,000 vs. $23,654)
  • RU graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than SVU graduates. ($237 vs. $244)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SVU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 53%)

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