A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at VSU are mostly Black with a small White population. The school has very low racial diversity. 97% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
Virginia State University is a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) primarily serving the African-American community.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
3%
|
| Black |
87%
|
| Hispanic |
2%
|
| Asian |
1%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
0%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
0%
|
| Two or more races |
0%
|
| International |
0%
|
| Race Unknown |
7%
|
There are 51% more female students than male students enrolled at Virginia State University with a gender ratio of 60% women to 40% men. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, VSU has a lower gender diversity than other US colleges and is slightly less inclusive of males.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
40%
|
| Women |
60%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
1,851
|
| Women |
2,797
|
VSU serves a low number of students outside of Virginia, with 72 percent of the student body residing in-state.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
72%
|
| Out of State |
27%
|
| Foreign |
1%
|
| Unknown Location |
0%
|
67% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.
| Segment | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Students Over 25 Years Old | 9.9% |
| Part time Undergrads | 4.8% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=234155 IPEDS survey data for Virginia State University.