Black Hills State University vs. VSU

Should I go to Black Hills State University or Virginia State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Black Hills State University 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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Black Hills State University vs. Virginia State University comparison
Black Hills State University Virginia State University College 3 College 4
Black Hills State University Virginia State University
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Overview

Black Hills State University VSU
Location Spearfish, SD Petersburg, VA
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,475 5,190
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1000 #930
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bhsu.edu vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Black Hills State University VSU
Tuition (In State) $7,700 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $10,800 $17,038
Room & Board $7,400 $12,966
Avg Net Price $16,474 $16,184
Avg Grant Aid $5,158 $12,300
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 92%

Admission

Black Hills State University VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,617 10,577
Admitted 1,527 9,424
Acceptance Rate 94.4% 89.1%
Enrolled % 32% 15.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.22 2.85
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 14/20
SAT Range 970/1085 800/1050
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

Black Hills State University VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Black Hills State University VSU
Graduation Rate 28% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,800 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,478 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $263 $305

Diversity

Black Hills State University VSU
% Men 1% 3%
% Women 4% 4%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 83% 3%
% Black 2% 87%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 4% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

Black Hills State University VSU
% In-State 57% 66%
% Out-of-State 42% 33%

Campus

Black Hills State University VSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia State University is larger than than Black Hills State University based on total student enrollment (5,190 students vs. 3,475 students)

Black Hills State University vs. VSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Black Hills State University or VSU?

  • Black Hills State University is 39% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($7,700.00 vs. $5,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.8% higher at VSU than Black Hills State University ($17,038.00 vs. $10,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia State University than Black Hills State University ($16,184 vs. $16,474)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Black Hills State University are 75.2% lower than costs at Virginia State University ($7,400 vs. $12,966)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia State University than Black Hills State University (92% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia State University students is 138.5% larger than aid received Black Hills State University ($12,300 vs. $5,158)

Black Hills State University vs. VSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Black Hills State University (988) is 131 points higher than at VSU (857)
  • Incoming Black Hills State University students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at VSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Black Hills State University students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.22) than students at VSU (2.85)
  • Black Hills State University has a higher acceptance rate (94.4%) than VSU (89.1%)

Black Hills State University vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Black Hills State University 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 Black Hills State University.

  • The graduation rate at VSU is higher than Black Hills State University (40% vs. 28%)
  • Graduates from Black Hills State University earn on average $2,100 more per year than VSU graduates after ten years. ($38,800 vs. $36,700)
  • Black Hills State University students graduate with a $4,022 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($25,478 vs. $29,500)
  • Black Hills State University graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($263 vs. $305)
  • More Black Hills State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 28%)

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