Bethune-Cookman vs. VSU

Should I go to Bethune Cookman University or Valdosta State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bethune-Cookman or VSU 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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Bethune Cookman University vs. Valdosta State University comparison
Bethune Cookman University Valdosta State University College 3 College 4
Bethune Cookman University Valdosta State University
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Overview

Bethune-Cookman VSU
Location Daytona Beach, FL Valdosta, GA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 2,727 10,209
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1010 #982
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cookman.edu valdosta.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bethune-Cookman VSU
Tuition (In State) $13,844 $4,371
Tuition (Out of State) $13,844 $15,426
Room & Board $10,396 $8,922
Avg Net Price $15,769 $12,836
Avg Grant Aid $13,780 $9,875
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

Bethune-Cookman VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,818 4,975
Admitted 10,891 4,451
Acceptance Rate 85% 89.5%
Enrolled % 8.9% 25.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.23
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/18 17/21
SAT Range 830/980 950/1130
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jun 15, 2025

Academics

Bethune-Cookman VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Bethune-Cookman VSU
Graduation Rate 37% 43%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $31,700 $40,300
Making Student Loan Payments 20% 41%
Median Student Loan Debt $35,985 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $372 $258

Diversity

Bethune-Cookman VSU
% Men 37% 31%
% Women 63% 69%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 51%
% Black 85% 36%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

Bethune-Cookman VSU
% In-State 75% 69%
% Out-of-State 21% 30%

Campus

Bethune-Cookman VSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Valdosta State University is larger than than Bethune-Cookman based on total student enrollment (10,209 students vs. 2,727 students)

Bethune-Cookman vs. VSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bethune-Cookman or VSU?

  • Bethune Cookman University is 216.7% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($13,844.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.4% higher at VSU than Bethune Cookman University ($15,426.00 vs. $13,844.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Valdosta State University than Bethune-Cookman ($12,836 vs. $15,769)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Valdosta State University are 16.5% lower than costs at Bethune Cookman University ($8,922 vs. $10,396)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Bethune Cookman University as Valdosta State University (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethune Cookman University students is 39.5% larger than aid received Valdosta State University ($13,780 vs. $9,875)

Bethune-Cookman vs. VSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Bethune-Cookman students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at VSU (3.23)
  • VSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than Bethune-Cookman (85%)

Bethune-Cookman vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bethune-Cookman or VSU? 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 VSU and Bethune-Cookman.

  • The graduation rate at VSU is higher than Bethune Cookman University (43% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Valdosta State University earn on average $8,600 more per year than Bethune-Cookman graduates after ten years. ($40,300 vs. $31,700)
  • Valdosta State University students graduate with a $10,985 lower median federal student loan debt than Bethune-Cookman graduates. ($25,000 vs. $35,985)
  • VSU graduates are paying $114 less per month on federal student loans than Bethune-Cookman graduates. ($258 vs. $372)
  • More VSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bethune-Cookman students, three years after graduation. (41% vs. 20%)

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