PennWest Clarion vs. NSU

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

PennWest Clarion NSU
Location Clarion, PA Norfolk, VA
Setting Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 3,922 5,783
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1008
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website clarion.edu nsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest Clarion NSU
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $5,752
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $16,920
Room & Board $12,930 $10,844
Avg Net Price - $14,652
Avg Grant Aid $0 $12,164
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 91%

Admission

PennWest Clarion NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 8,884
Admitted - 7,951
Acceptance Rate 89.5%
Enrolled % 16.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 2.9
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20
SAT Range 840/1040
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 31, 2025

Academics

PennWest Clarion NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

PennWest Clarion NSU
Graduation Rate 49% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,200 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $320

Diversity

PennWest Clarion NSU
% Men 28% 33%
% Women 72% 67%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 83% 5%
% Black 8% 84%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

PennWest Clarion NSU
% In-State 94% 65%
% Out-of-State 5% 31%

Campus

PennWest Clarion NSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Norfolk State University is larger than than PennWest Clarion based on total student enrollment (5,783 students vs. 3,922 students)

PennWest Clarion vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest Clarion or NSU?

  • PennWest Clarion is 34.1% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $5,752.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.2% higher at NSU than PennWest Clarion ($16,920.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Norfolk State University are 19.2% lower than costs at PennWest Clarion ($10,844 vs. $12,930)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Norfolk State University than PennWest Clarion (91% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Norfolk State University students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest Clarion ($12,164 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at PennWest Clarion (934) is 126 points higher than at NSU (808)
  • Incoming PennWest Clarion students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at NSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman PennWest Clarion students have a 0.6 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at NSU (2.9)

PennWest Clarion vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest Clarion or NSU? 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 NSU and PennWest Clarion.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest Clarion is higher than Norfolk State University (49% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from PennWest Clarion earn on average $2,500 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($39,200 vs. $36,700)
  • PennWest Clarion students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($26,000 vs. $31,000)
  • PennWest Clarion graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($268 vs. $320)
  • More PennWest Clarion graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 27%)

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