- The Inkwell
- Virginia
- Virginia State University
Petersburg, VASuburb: largeZIP 23806Founded 1882
- Sector
- Public
- Founded
- 1882
- Carnegie class
- Master's: medium programs
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Federal aid since
- 1965
- Website
- www.vsu.edu
VirginiaHBCUPublic
Virginia State University
Virginia State University is a public university in Petersburg, Virginia, with 5,074 undergraduates. It admits 89% of applicants, graduates 37% within six years and costs $14,893 a year after aid.
37%graduate
Admission rate89%
Retention69%
4-year graduation23%
Pell Grant share75%
Federal loans81%
$14,893net price / year
89%admission rate
948average SAT
37%graduate in 6 years
$49,358median earnings, 10 yrs
$25,000median debt
#1,280 of 1,704 for earnings#492 of 1,739 for lowest net price#1,415 of 1,738 for graduation rate#1,142 of 1,552 for selectivity
what it costs
Cost and net price
Net price is the average annual cost after grants and scholarships for full-time students who receive federal aid; it varies with family income.
Published cost
- Cost of attendance
- $28,338tuition, fees, housing, books, per year
- Tuition & fees, in-state
- $10,418
- Tuition & fees, out-of-state
- $23,404
- Average net price
- $14,893national median $19,980
Net price by family income
$0–30,000$11,335
$30,001–48,000$17,026
$48,001–75,000$17,292
$75,001–110,000$21,045
$110,001+$25,432
getting in
Admissions and test scores
Admission
- Admission rate
- 89%national median 77%
- Average SAT
- 948
- SAT reading, middle 50%
- 440–550
- SAT math, middle 50%
- 400–520
- ACT composite, middle 50%
- 14–20
Against the national median
Admission rate · this college89%
Admission rate · U.S. median77%
Retention · this college69%
Retention · U.S. median76%
Graduation · this college37%
Graduation · U.S. median55%
Pell share · this college75%
Pell share · U.S. median39%
after enrolling
Graduation, earnings and debt
Completion
- Graduation rate, 6 years
- 37%within 150% of normal time
- Graduation rate, 4 years
- 23%
- First-year retention
- 69%
- Award within 8 years, all students
- 46%
Earnings and debt
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $39,816
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $49,358middle 50%: $31,872–$69,988
- Median debt at graduation
- $25,000
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Earnings ten years after entry
Upper quarter$69,988
Median, Virginia State University$49,358
Lower quarter$31,872
U.S. median, all colleges$58,886
Former students working and not enrolled · College Scorecard
who studies here
Students and faculty
Undergraduates
- Degree-seeking undergraduates
- 5,074
- Part-time
- 3.9%
- Women / men
- 59% / 41%
- Average age at entry
- 20.7
- First-generation students
- 34%
- Pell Grant recipients
- 75%
Faculty and resources
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- 13 : 1
- Full-time faculty
- 65%
- Average faculty salary
- $9,469 / month
- Instructional spending per student
- $15,660
- Endowment, end of year
- $95,582,360
Race and ethnicity, undergraduates
White1.9%
Hispanic6.2%
Black83%
Asian0.3%
Two or more races5.3%
U.S. nonresident1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
Unknown2.0%
21 fields of study
Most popular fields
Share of bachelor’s degrees awarded, by broad field (CIP family).
Business & management18%
Homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting10%
Education9.7%
Psychology9.1%
Communication & journalism7.5%
Multi/interdisciplinary studies5.8%
Engineering technologies5.4%
Biological & biomedical sciences5.4%
keep comparing
Similar colleges
Public colleges in Virginia
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk State University Norfolk, VA | $12,180 | 35% | $49,237 |
| Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA | $22,310 | 75% | $65,183 |
| Radford University Radford, VA | $13,701 | 48% | $59,134 |
| University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA | $23,821 | 64% | $66,028 |
| William & Mary Williamsburg, VA | $18,880 | 88% | $83,488 |
| Longwood University Farmville, VA | $20,773 | 62% | $55,653 |
Same Carnegie class, similar price
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany State University Albany, GA | $14,511 | 30% | $44,975 |
| Montana State University Billings Billings, MT | $15,630 | 31% | $48,199 |
| University of Wisconsin-Superior Superior, WI | $13,843 | 43% | $51,871 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Mayaguez, PR | $14,997 | 47% | $47,912 |
| Cumberland University Lebanon, TN | $15,965 | 44% | $66,885 |
| Purdue University Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, IN | $12,471 | 40% | $51,617 |
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education — institution file, most recent cohorts. UNITID 234155. Founding year, motto and memberships: Wikidata Q7934591.