Francis Marion University vs. VSU

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

Francis Marion University VSU
Location Florence, SC Petersburg, VA
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,045 4,648
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #942 #980
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fmarion.edu vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Francis Marion University VSU
Tuition (In State) $10,384 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $20,768 $16,542
Room & Board $8,230 $11,544
Avg Net Price $12,614 $15,773
Avg Grant Aid $10,108 $11,498
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 92%

Admission

Francis Marion University VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,523 8,230
Admitted 2,921 7,384
Acceptance Rate 82.9% 89.7%
Enrolled % 21% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 2.85
Typical High School Grades A- B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/22 14/17
SAT Range 890/1123 830/1030
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

Francis Marion University VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Francis Marion University VSU
Graduation Rate 42% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,200 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 42% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $320 $305

Diversity

Francis Marion University VSU
% Men 33% 40%
% Women 67% 60%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 46% 3%
% Black 47% 87%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

Francis Marion University VSU
% In-State 95% 72%
% Out-of-State 4% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia State University is larger than than Francis Marion University based on total student enrollment (4,648 students vs. 4,045 students)

Francis Marion University vs. VSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Francis Marion University or VSU?

  • Francis Marion University is 87.4% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($10,384.00 vs. $5,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.5% higher at Francis Marion University than Virginia State University ($20,768.00 vs. $16,542.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Francis Marion University than VSU ($12,614 vs. $15,773)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Francis Marion University are 40.3% lower than costs at Virginia State University ($8,230 vs. $11,544)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Francis Marion University than Virginia State University (98% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia State University students is 13.8% larger than aid received Francis Marion University ($11,498 vs. $10,108)

Francis Marion University vs. VSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Francis Marion University (927) is 70 points higher than at VSU (857)
  • Incoming Francis Marion University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at VSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Francis Marion University students have a 1.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at VSU (2.85)
  • VSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.7%) than Francis Marion University (82.9%)

Francis Marion University vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Francis Marion 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 Francis Marion University.

  • The graduation rate at Francis Marion University is higher than Virginia State University (42% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Virginia State University earn on average $500 more per year than Francis Marion University graduates after ten years. ($36,700 vs. $36,200)
  • Virginia State University students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Francis Marion University graduates. ($29,500 vs. $31,000)
  • VSU graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Francis Marion University graduates. ($305 vs. $320)
  • More Francis Marion University 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/