DSC vs. VSU

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

DSC VSU
Location Dalton, GA Petersburg, VA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,902 5,190
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #930
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website daltonstate.edu vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

DSC VSU
Tuition (In State) $2,563 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $9,469 $17,038
Room & Board $10,128 $12,966
Avg Net Price $5,083 $16,184
Avg Grant Aid $6,205 $12,300
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 92%

Admission

DSC VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 10,577
Admitted - 9,424
Acceptance Rate Open 89.1%
Enrolled % Open 15.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 2.85
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 14/20
SAT Range 800/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2026 May 1, 2026

Academics

DSC VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (25%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

DSC VSU
Graduation Rate 16% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $32,500 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 42% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,887 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $153 $305

Diversity

DSC VSU
% Men 4% 3%
% Women 6% 4%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 64% 3%
% Black 4% 87%
% Hispanic 22% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 0%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 7%

Students

DSC VSU
% In-State 99% 66%
% Out-of-State 1% 33%

Campus

DSC 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

  • Virginia State University is larger than than DSC based on total student enrollment (5,190 students vs. 4,902 students)

DSC vs. VSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, DSC or VSU?

  • Virginia State University is 116.2% more expensive to attend than DSC for in-state tuition ($5,540.00 vs. $2,563.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 79.9% higher at VSU than Dalton State College ($17,038.00 vs. $9,469.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dalton State College than VSU ($5,083 vs. $16,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dalton State College are 28% lower than costs at Virginia State University ($10,128 vs. $12,966)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia State University than Dalton State College (92% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia State University students is 98.2% larger than aid received Dalton State College ($12,300 vs. $6,205)

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

  • Accepted freshman DSC students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.1) than students at VSU (2.85)

DSC vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, DSC 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 DSC.

  • The graduation rate at VSU is higher than Dalton State College (40% vs. 16%)
  • Graduates from Virginia State University earn on average $4,200 more per year than DSC graduates after ten years. ($36,700 vs. $32,500)
  • Dalton State College students graduate with a $14,613 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($14,887 vs. $29,500)
  • DSC graduates are paying $152 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($153 vs. $305)
  • More DSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (42% vs. 28%)

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