BC vs. VSU

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

BC VSU
Location Bridgewater, VA Petersburg, VA
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,421 4,648
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #676 #980
Religious Affiliation Church of Brethren - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bridgewater.edu vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BC VSU
Tuition (In State) $38,800 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $38,800 $16,542
Room & Board $13,830 $11,544
Avg Net Price $19,332 $15,773
Avg Grant Aid $34,142 $11,498
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 92%

Admission

BC VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,402 8,230
Admitted 3,074 7,384
Acceptance Rate 90.4% 89.7%
Enrolled % 13.7% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 2.85
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Average Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 14/17
SAT Range 1020/1230 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 1, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

BC VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

BC VSU
Graduation Rate 59% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,100 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $305

Diversity

BC VSU
% Men 48% 40%
% Women 52% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 73% 3%
% Black 11% 87%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 7%

Students

BC VSU
% In-State 73% 72%
% Out-of-State 24% 27%

Campus

BC 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

  • Virginia State University is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (4,648 students vs. 1,421 students)

BC vs. VSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or VSU?

  • Bridgewater College is 600.4% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($38,800.00 vs. $5,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 134.6% higher at BC than Virginia State University ($38,800.00 vs. $16,542.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia State University than BC ($15,773 vs. $19,332)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia State University are 19.8% lower than costs at Bridgewater College ($11,544 vs. $13,830)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bridgewater College than Virginia State University (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 196.9% larger than aid received Virginia State University ($34,142 vs. $11,498)

BC vs. VSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Bridgewater College (1034) is 177 points higher than at VSU (857)
  • Incoming BC students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at VSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.76 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at VSU (2.85)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (90.4%) than VSU (89.7%)

BC vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BC 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 BC.

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than Virginia State University (59% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Bridgewater College earn on average $6,400 more per year than VSU graduates after ten years. ($43,100 vs. $36,700)
  • Bridgewater College students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($27,000 vs. $29,500)
  • BC graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($279 vs. $305)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 28%)

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