Bowie State University vs. TU

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

Bowie State University TU
Location Bowie, MD Towson, MD
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 6,408 19,527
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #943 #375
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bowiestate.edu towson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bowie State University TU
Tuition (In State) $5,993 $7,382
Tuition (Out of State) $16,883 $24,402
Room & Board $13,272 $15,644
Avg Net Price $16,117 $15,064
Avg Grant Aid $8,730 $11,565
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 62%

Admission

Bowie State University TU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,245 18,948
Admitted 5,217 15,689
Acceptance Rate 83.5% 82.8%
Enrolled % 19% 19.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.12 3.69
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/28
SAT Range 796/1083 1050/1270
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 15, 2026 Apr 1, 2026

Academics

Bowie State University TU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communications Technology (10%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)

Outcomes

Bowie State University TU
Graduation Rate 41% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,500 $53,500
Making Student Loan Payments 29% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,391 $17,750
Median Loan Payment $252 $183

Diversity

Bowie State University TU
% Men 5% 4%
% Women 12% 12%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU Yes No
% White 3% 61%
% Black 86% 18%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

Bowie State University TU
% In-State 78% 90%
% Out-of-State 19% 9%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Towson University is larger than than Bowie State University based on total student enrollment (19,527 students vs. 6,408 students)

Bowie State University vs. TU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bowie State University or TU?

  • Towson University is 23.2% more expensive to attend than Bowie State University for in-state tuition ($7,382.00 vs. $5,993.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.5% higher at TU than Bowie State University ($24,402.00 vs. $16,883.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Towson University than Bowie State University ($15,064 vs. $16,117)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bowie State University are 17.9% lower than costs at Towson University ($13,272 vs. $15,644)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Bowie State University as Towson University (62% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Towson University students is 32.5% larger than aid received Bowie State University ($11,565 vs. $8,730)

Bowie State University vs. TU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Towson University (1081) is 198 points higher than at Bowie State University (883)
  • Incoming TU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Bowie State University (18)
  • Accepted freshman TU students have a 0.57 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Bowie State University (3.12)
  • Bowie State University has a higher acceptance rate (83.5%) than TU (82.8%)

Bowie State University vs. TU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bowie State University or TU? 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 TU and Bowie State University.

  • The graduation rate at TU is higher than Bowie State University (64% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Towson University earn on average $3,000 more per year than Bowie State University graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $50,500)
  • Towson University students graduate with a $6,641 lower median federal student loan debt than Bowie State University graduates. ($17,750 vs. $24,391)
  • TU graduates are paying $69 less per month on federal student loans than Bowie State University graduates. ($183 vs. $252)
  • More TU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bowie State University students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 29%)

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