BGSU vs. SVU

Should I go to Bowling Green State University Main Campus or Southern Virginia University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BGSU or SVU 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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Bowling Green State University Main Campus vs. Southern Virginia University comparison
Bowling Green State University Main Campus Southern Virginia University College 3 College 4
Bowling Green State University Main Campus Southern Virginia University
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Overview

BGSU SVU
Location Bowling Green, OH Buena Vista, VA
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 16,920 1,053
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #728 #984
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bgsu.edu svu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BGSU SVU
Tuition (In State) $11,272 $18,858
Tuition (Out of State) $19,845 $18,858
Room & Board $12,584 $9,150
Avg Net Price $20,485 $23,274
Avg Grant Aid $8,898 $8,188
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 99%

Admission

BGSU SVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,447 1,090
Admitted 13,723 1,084
Acceptance Rate 78.7% 99.4%
Enrolled % 21.4% 35.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 18/24
SAT Range 990/1200 900/1250
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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

BGSU SVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Work and Family Studies (12%)

Outcomes

BGSU SVU
Graduation Rate 58% 25%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,600 $40,600
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $23,654
Median Loan Payment $268 $244

Diversity

BGSU SVU
% Men 42% 53%
% Women 58% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 80%
% Black 10% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

BGSU SVU
% In-State 88% 12%
% Out-of-State 11% 73%

Campus

BGSU SVU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is larger than than SVU based on total student enrollment (16,920 students vs. 1,053 students)

BGSU vs. SVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BGSU or SVU?

  • Southern Virginia University is 67.3% more expensive to attend than BGSU for in-state tuition ($18,858.00 vs. $11,272.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.2% higher at BGSU than Southern Virginia University ($19,845.00 vs. $18,858.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bowling Green State University Main Campus than SVU ($20,485 vs. $23,274)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Virginia University are 37.5% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($9,150 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Virginia University than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (99% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bowling Green State University Main Campus students is 8.7% larger than aid received Southern Virginia University ($8,898 vs. $8,188)

BGSU vs. SVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southern Virginia University (1041) is 29 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
  • Incoming SVU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at BGSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BGSU students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at SVU (3.19)
  • SVU has a higher acceptance rate (99.4%) than BGSU (78.7%)

BGSU vs. SVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BGSU or SVU? 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 SVU and BGSU.

  • The graduation rate at BGSU is higher than Southern Virginia University (58% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Bowling Green State University Main Campus earn on average $3,000 more per year than SVU graduates after ten years. ($43,600 vs. $40,600)
  • Southern Virginia University students graduate with a $2,346 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($23,654 vs. $26,000)
  • SVU graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($244 vs. $268)
  • More BGSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SVU students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 53%)

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