Ferrum College vs. NSU

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

Ferrum College NSU
Location Ferrum, VA Norfolk, VA
Setting Distant Rural Midsize City
Enrollment 855 5,783
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1008
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ferrum.edu nsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Ferrum College NSU
Tuition (In State) $37,400 $5,752
Tuition (Out of State) $37,400 $16,920
Room & Board $13,230 $10,844
Avg Net Price $25,558 $14,652
Avg Grant Aid $26,580 $12,164
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 91%

Admission

Ferrum College NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,452 8,884
Admitted 1,224 7,951
Acceptance Rate 84.3% 89.5%
Enrolled % 19.4% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.14 2.9
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20
SAT Range 900/1110 840/1040
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 Sep 15, 2024 May 31, 2025

Academics

Ferrum College NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Ferrum College NSU
Graduation Rate 31% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,000 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,000 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $289 $320

Diversity

Ferrum College NSU
% Men 58% 33%
% Women 42% 67%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 52% 5%
% Black 34% 84%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Ferrum College NSU
% In-State 64% 65%
% Out-of-State 34% 31%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Norfolk State University is larger than than Ferrum College based on total student enrollment (5,783 students vs. 855 students)

Ferrum College vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Ferrum College or NSU?

  • Ferrum College is 550.2% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($37,400.00 vs. $5,752.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 121% higher at Ferrum College than Norfolk State University ($37,400.00 vs. $16,920.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than Ferrum College ($14,652 vs. $25,558)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Norfolk State University are 22% lower than costs at Ferrum College ($10,844 vs. $13,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ferrum College than Norfolk State University (94% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ferrum College students is 118.5% larger than aid received Norfolk State University ($26,580 vs. $12,164)

Ferrum College vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ferrum College (881) is 73 points higher than at NSU (808)
  • Incoming Ferrum College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (18) than students at NSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman Ferrum College students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.14) than students at NSU (2.9)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than Ferrum College (84.3%)

Ferrum College vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Ferrum College 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 Ferrum College.

  • The graduation rate at NSU is higher than Ferrum College (33% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Ferrum College earn on average $2,300 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($39,000 vs. $36,700)
  • Ferrum College students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($28,000 vs. $31,000)
  • Ferrum College graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($289 vs. $320)
  • More Ferrum College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (49% vs. 27%)

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