Bowie State University vs. VSU

Should I go to Bowie State University or Virginia State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bowie 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Bowie State University vs. Virginia State University comparison
Bowie State University Virginia State University College 3 College 4
Bowie State University Virginia State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Bowie State University VSU
Location Bowie, MD Petersburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,275 4,648
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #962 #980
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bowiestate.edu vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bowie State University VSU
Tuition (In State) $5,811 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $16,533 $16,542
Room & Board $12,468 $11,544
Avg Net Price $13,886 $15,773
Avg Grant Aid $9,463 $11,498
% Receiving Grant Aid 76% 92%

Admission

Bowie State University VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,445 8,230
Admitted 4,712 7,384
Acceptance Rate 86.5% 89.7%
Enrolled % 25.2% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.12 2.85
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 14/17
SAT Range 800/1048 830/1030
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, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

Bowie State University VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communications Technology (10%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Bowie State University VSU
Graduation Rate 41% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,500 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 29% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,391 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $252 $305

Diversity

Bowie State University VSU
% Men 37% 40%
% Women 63% 60%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU Yes Yes
% White 3% 3%
% Black 86% 87%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 7%

Students

Bowie State University VSU
% In-State 78% 72%
% Out-of-State 19% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bowie State University is larger than than VSU based on total student enrollment (6,275 students vs. 4,648 students)

Bowie State University vs. VSU Cost Comparison

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

  • Bowie State University is 4.9% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($5,811.00 vs. $5,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.1% higher at VSU than Bowie State University ($16,542.00 vs. $16,533.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bowie State University than VSU ($13,886 vs. $15,773)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia State University are 8% lower than costs at Bowie State University ($11,544 vs. $12,468)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia State University than Bowie State University (92% vs. 76%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia State University students is 21.5% larger than aid received Bowie State University ($11,498 vs. $9,463)

Bowie State University vs. VSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Bowie State University (883) is 26 points higher than at VSU (857)
  • Incoming Bowie State University students have at the same average ACT score (18) as students at VSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Bowie State University students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.12) than students at VSU (2.85)
  • VSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.7%) than Bowie State University (86.5%)

Bowie State University vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bowie 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 Bowie State University.

  • The graduation rate at Bowie State University is higher than Virginia State University (41% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Bowie State University earn on average $13,800 more per year than VSU graduates after ten years. ($50,500 vs. $36,700)
  • Bowie State University students graduate with a $5,109 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($24,391 vs. $29,500)
  • Bowie State University graduates are paying $53 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($252 vs. $305)
  • More Bowie State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (29% vs. 28%)

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