CSU vs. RU

Should I go to Charleston Southern University or Radford University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU or RU 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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Charleston Southern University vs. Radford University comparison
Charleston Southern University Radford University College 3 College 4
Charleston Southern University Radford University
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Overview

CSU RU
Location Charleston, SC Radford, VA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 3,418 7,718
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #918 #566
Religious Affiliation Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuniv.edu radford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSU RU
Tuition (In State) $29,490 $8,156
Tuition (Out of State) $29,490 $20,246
Room & Board $11,250 $10,567
Avg Net Price $17,536 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $26,417 $9,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 96%

Admission

CSU RU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,967 11,442
Admitted 4,309 10,680
Acceptance Rate 86.8% 93.3%
Enrolled % 16.9% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.24 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23 19/23
SAT Range 940/1170 960/1160
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

Academics

CSU RU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

CSU RU
Graduation Rate 38% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,800 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $237

Diversity

CSU RU
% Men 36% 33%
% Women 64% 67%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 61% 71%
% Black 26% 13%
% Hispanic 3% 7%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

CSU RU
% In-State 76% 89%
% Out-of-State 23% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Radford University is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (7,718 students vs. 3,418 students)

CSU vs. RU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or RU?

  • Charleston Southern University is 261.6% more expensive to attend than RU for in-state tuition ($29,490.00 vs. $8,156.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.7% higher at CSU than Radford University ($29,490.00 vs. $20,246.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Radford University than CSU ($17,105 vs. $17,536)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Radford University are 6.5% lower than costs at Charleston Southern University ($10,567 vs. $11,250)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Charleston Southern University than Radford University (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Charleston Southern University students is 171.4% larger than aid received Radford University ($26,417 vs. $9,733)

CSU vs. RU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman RU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at CSU (3.24)
  • RU has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than CSU (86.8%)

CSU vs. RU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or RU? 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 RU and CSU.

  • The graduation rate at RU is higher than Charleston Southern University (56% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $7,600 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $39,800)
  • Radford University students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($23,000 vs. $27,000)
  • RU graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($237 vs. $279)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 50%)

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