Clayton State University vs. VSU

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

 Clayton State University VSU
Location Morrow, GA Petersburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 5,842 5,190
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1001 #930
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website clayton.edu vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Clayton State University VSU
Tuition (In State) $4,064 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $14,786 $17,038
Room & Board $11,104 $12,966
Avg Net Price $9,397 $16,184
Avg Grant Aid $8,505 $12,300
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 92%

Admission

 Clayton State University VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,782 10,577
Admitted 1,258 9,424
Acceptance Rate 70.6% 89.1%
Enrolled % 40.1% 15.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.0 2.85
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/20 14/20
SAT Range 868/1070 800/1050
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 17, 2026 May 1, 2026

Academics

 Clayton State University VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (23%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

 Clayton State University VSU
Graduation Rate 27% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,800 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 35% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $284 $305

Diversity

 Clayton State University VSU
% Men 3% 3%
% Women 6% 4%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 18% 3%
% Black 66% 87%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 7%

Students

 Clayton State University VSU
% In-State 96% 66%
% Out-of-State 3% 33%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Clayton State University is larger than than VSU based on total student enrollment (5,842 students vs. 5,190 students)

Clayton State University vs. VSU Cost Comparison

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

  • Virginia State University is 36.3% more expensive to attend than Clayton State University for in-state tuition ($5,540.00 vs. $4,064.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.2% higher at VSU than Clayton State University ($17,038.00 vs. $14,786.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Clayton State University than VSU ($9,397 vs. $16,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clayton State University are 16.8% lower than costs at Virginia State University ($11,104 vs. $12,966)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia State University than Clayton State University (92% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia State University students is 44.6% larger than aid received Clayton State University ($12,300 vs. $8,505)

Clayton State University vs. VSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Clayton State University students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.0) than students at VSU (2.85)
  • VSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Clayton State University (70.6%)

Clayton State University vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Clayton 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 Clayton State University.

  • The graduation rate at VSU is higher than Clayton State University (40% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from Clayton State University earn on average $5,100 more per year than VSU graduates after ten years. ($41,800 vs. $36,700)
  • Clayton State University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($27,500 vs. $29,500)
  • Clayton State University graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($284 vs. $305)
  • More Clayton State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (35% vs. 28%)

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