Livingstone College vs. NSU

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

 Livingstone College NSU
Location Salisbury, NC Norfolk, VA
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 814 6,045
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #999
Religious Affiliation African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website livingstone.edu nsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Livingstone College NSU
Tuition (In State) $15,917 $5,926
Tuition (Out of State) $15,917 $17,428
Room & Board $6,794 $11,692
Avg Net Price $15,162 $12,272
Avg Grant Aid $13,065 $11,153
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

 Livingstone College NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,748 10,211
Admitted 3,518 8,931
Acceptance Rate 74.1% 87.5%
Enrolled % 7.6% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 2.64 2.9
Typical High School Grades C+ B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/21 16/21
SAT Range 800/960 840/1100
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 31, 2025

Academics

 Livingstone College NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Human Services (13%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 Livingstone College NSU
Graduation Rate 28% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $24,200 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 13% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $42,000 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $434 $320

Diversity

 Livingstone College NSU
% Men 1% 3%
% Women 1% 5%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU Yes Yes
% White 0% 5%
% Black 81% 84%
% Hispanic 1% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 17% 3%

Students

 Livingstone College NSU
% In-State 49% 65%
% Out-of-State 48% 31%

Campus

 Livingstone College NSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes 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 Livingstone College based on total student enrollment (6,045 students vs. 814 students)

Livingstone College vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Livingstone College or NSU?

  • Livingstone College is 168.6% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($15,917.00 vs. $5,926.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.5% higher at NSU than Livingstone College ($17,428.00 vs. $15,917.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than Livingstone College ($12,272 vs. $15,162)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Livingstone College are 72.1% lower than costs at Norfolk State University ($6,794 vs. $11,692)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Livingstone College than Norfolk State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Livingstone College students is 17.1% larger than aid received Norfolk State University ($13,065 vs. $11,153)

Livingstone College vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Norfolk State University (808) is 100 points higher than at Livingstone College (708)
  • Incoming NSU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (17) than students at Livingstone College (14)
  • Accepted freshman NSU students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (2.9) than students at Livingstone College (2.64)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than Livingstone College (74.1%)

Livingstone College vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Livingstone 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 Livingstone College.

  • The graduation rate at NSU is higher than Livingstone College (33% vs. 28%)
  • Graduates from Norfolk State University earn on average $12,500 more per year than Livingstone College graduates after ten years. ($36,700 vs. $24,200)
  • Norfolk State University students graduate with a $11,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Livingstone College graduates. ($31,000 vs. $42,000)
  • NSU graduates are paying $114 less per month on federal student loans than Livingstone College graduates. ($320 vs. $434)
  • More NSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Livingstone College students, three years after graduation. (27% vs. 13%)

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