WSSU vs. CNU

Should I go to Winston Salem State University or Christopher Newport University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WSSU or CNU 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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Winston Salem State University vs. Christopher Newport University comparison
Winston Salem State University Christopher Newport University College 3 College 4
Winston Salem State University Christopher Newport University
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Overview

 WSSU CNU
Location Winston-Salem, NC Newport News, VA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 5,004 4,559
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #956 #390
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wssu.edu cnu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WSSU CNU
Tuition (In State) $3,401 $9,375
Tuition (Out of State) $14,057 $22,613
Room & Board $11,220 $11,990
Avg Net Price $14,097 $23,287
Avg Grant Aid $8,350 $8,022
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 66%

Admission

 WSSU CNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,628 7,428
Admitted 5,598 6,340
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 85.4%
Enrolled % 15.3% 18.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.01 3.79
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/19 22/29
SAT Range 830/1050 1100/1290
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 Feb 15, 2024 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

 WSSU CNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)

Outcomes

 WSSU CNU
Graduation Rate 41% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,700 $47,100
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,663 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $265 $258

Diversity

 WSSU CNU
% Men 24% 46%
% Women 76% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 16% 74%
% Black 72% 8%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

 WSSU CNU
% In-State 82% 91%
% Out-of-State 16% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Winston Salem State University is larger than than CNU based on total student enrollment (5,004 students vs. 4,559 students)

WSSU vs. CNU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSSU or CNU?

  • Christopher Newport University is 175.7% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($9,375.00 vs. $3,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 60.9% higher at CNU than Winston Salem State University ($22,613.00 vs. $14,057.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Winston Salem State University than CNU ($14,097 vs. $23,287)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Winston Salem State University are 6.9% lower than costs at Christopher Newport University ($11,220 vs. $11,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Winston Salem State University than Christopher Newport University (86% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Winston Salem State University students is 4.1% larger than aid received Christopher Newport University ($8,350 vs. $8,022)

WSSU vs. CNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Christopher Newport University (1155) is 285 points higher than at WSSU (870)
  • Incoming CNU students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WSSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman CNU students have a 0.78 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at WSSU (3.01)
  • CNU has a higher acceptance rate (85.4%) than WSSU (73.4%)

WSSU vs. CNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WSSU or CNU? 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 CNU and WSSU.

  • The graduation rate at CNU is higher than Winston Salem State University (63% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Christopher Newport University earn on average $11,400 more per year than WSSU graduates after ten years. ($47,100 vs. $35,700)
  • Christopher Newport University students graduate with a $663 lower median federal student loan debt than WSSU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,663)
  • CNU graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than WSSU graduates. ($258 vs. $265)
  • More CNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSSU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 33%)

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