Randolph vs. VSU

Deciding between Randolph College and Virginia State University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Virginia State University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Randolph Lynchburg, VA
  • VSU Petersburg, VA
  • Setting
  • Randolph Small City
  • VSU Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Randolph 816
  • VSU 5,605
  • Type
  • Randolph Private 4 Year
  • VSU Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Randolph
  • VSU #950
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Randolph United Methodist
  • VSU -
  • Status
  • Randolph Non-profit
  • VSU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Randolph
  • VSU

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Randolph $30,310
  • VSU $10,043
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Randolph $30,310
  • VSU $22,650
  • Room & Board
  • Randolph $12,350
  • VSU $13,355
  • Average Net Price
  • Randolph $21,668
  • VSU $17,840
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Randolph $23,372
  • VSU $12,447
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Randolph 100%
  • VSU 92%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Randolph 2,416
  • VSU 11,775
  • Admitted
  • Randolph 2,264
  • VSU 10,436
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Randolph 93.7%
  • VSU 88.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Randolph 11.7%
  • VSU 14.3%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Randolph 1160
  • VSU 960
  • Typical ACT score
  • Randolph 22
  • VSU 17
  • Average High School GPA
  • Randolph 3.35
  • VSU 2.85
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Randolph B+
  • VSU B
  • Admissions Standards
  • Randolph Moderate
  • VSU Extremely Easy
  • Applicant Competition
  • Randolph
  • VSU
  • ACT Range
  • Randolph 19/26
  • VSU 14/20
  • SAT Range
  • Randolph 1100/1210
  • VSU 840/1070
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Randolph Test optional
  • VSU Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Randolph
  • VSU May 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Randolph 8:1
  • VSU 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Randolph
    • Social Sciences (24%)
    • History (10%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • English and Literature (8%)
    • Mathematics (8%)
  • VSU
    • Business (17%)
    • Education (14%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
    • Psychology (8%)
    • General Studies (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Randolph 63%
  • VSU 40%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Randolph $43,200
  • VSU $36,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Randolph 63%
  • VSU 28%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Randolph $27,000
  • VSU $29,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Randolph $279
  • VSU $305

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Randolph 41%
  • VSU 40%
  • % Women
  • Randolph 59%
  • VSU 60%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Randolph Medium
  • VSU Extremely Low
  • HBCU
  • Randolph No
  • VSU Yes
  • % White
  • Randolph 68%
  • VSU 3%
  • % Asian
  • Randolph 2%
  • VSU 1%
  • % Black
  • Randolph 12%
  • VSU 87%
  • % Hispanic
  • Randolph 6%
  • VSU 2%
  • % Native American
  • Randolph 0%
  • VSU 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Randolph 0%
  • VSU 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Randolph 4%
  • VSU 0%
  • % International
  • Randolph 8%
  • VSU 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Randolph 0%
  • VSU 7%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Randolph 77%
  • VSU 68%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Randolph 21%
  • VSU 31%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Randolph Yes
  • VSU Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Randolph Yes
  • VSU No
  • Meal Plan
  • Randolph Yes
  • VSU Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Randolph No
  • VSU Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Randolph No
  • VSU No

Comparable Facts

Compare Randolph College in Lynchburg, VA with Virginia State University in Petersburg, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Virginia State University is larger than Randolph based on total student enrollment (5,605 students vs. 816 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Randolph College is located in Lynchburg, VA (Small City setting); Virginia State University is in Petersburg, VA (Large Suburban setting).
  • Randolph College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Virginia State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Randolph College 8:1; Virginia State University 13:1.

Randolph vs. VSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Randolph or VSU? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia State University than Randolph ($17,840 vs. $21,668).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Randolph College are 7.5% lower than at Virginia State University ($12,350 vs. $13,355).
  • Randolph College is 201.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than VSU (about $20,267 more per year; $30,310.00 vs. $10,043.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 33.8% higher at Randolph than at Virginia State University (about $7,660 more per year; $30,310.00 vs. $22,650.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Randolph College than at Virginia State University (100% vs. 92%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Randolph College students is 87.8% larger than aid received by Virginia State University students ($23,372 vs. $12,447).

Randolph vs. VSU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Randolph or VSU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between VSU and Randolph.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Randolph College (1160) is 200 points higher than at VSU (960).
  • Incoming Randolph students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (22 vs. 17 at VSU).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Randolph College 1100/1210; Virginia State University 840/1070.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Randolph College 19/26; Virginia State University 14/20.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Randolph - Test optional; VSU - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: VSU May 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Randolph students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.35) than students at VSU (2.85).
  • Randolph has a higher acceptance rate (93.7%) than VSU (88.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 11.7% at Randolph vs. 14.3% at VSU.

Randolph vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Randolph and VSU? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Randolph College's six-year graduation rate (63%) is higher than Virginia State University's (40%).
  • Graduates from Randolph College earn a median of about $6,500 more per year than VSU graduates about ten years after starting college ($43,200 vs. $36,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Randolph College graduates have a $2,500 lower median loan debt than VSU graduates ($27,000 vs. $29,500).
  • Among borrowers, Randolph graduates have an estimated $26 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than VSU graduates ($279 vs. $305).
  • More Randolph 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.