Minnesota State University-Mankato vs. VSU

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

Minnesota State University-Mankato VSU
Location Mankato, MN Petersburg, VA
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 14,709 5,190
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #804 #930
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mnsu.edu vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Minnesota State University-Mankato VSU
Tuition (In State) $8,356 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $17,726 $17,038
Room & Board $11,224 $12,966
Avg Net Price $17,227 $16,184
Avg Grant Aid $5,798 $12,300
% Receiving Grant Aid 65% 92%

Admission

Minnesota State University-Mankato VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,974 10,577
Admitted 8,196 9,424
Acceptance Rate 91.3% 89.1%
Enrolled % 29.4% 15.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 2.85
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/24 14/20
SAT Range 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 May 1, 2026

Academics

Minnesota State University-Mankato VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Minnesota State University-Mankato VSU
Graduation Rate 50% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,300 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,575 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $233 $305

Diversity

Minnesota State University-Mankato VSU
% Men 4% 3%
% Women 9% 4%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 76% 3%
% Black 5% 87%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 7%

Students

Minnesota State University-Mankato VSU
% In-State 77% 66%
% Out-of-State 15% 33%

Campus

Minnesota State University-Mankato 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

  • Minnesota State University Mankato is larger than than VSU based on total student enrollment (14,709 students vs. 5,190 students)

Minnesota State University-Mankato vs. VSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Minnesota State University-Mankato or VSU?

  • Minnesota State University Mankato is 50.8% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($8,356.00 vs. $5,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4% higher at Minnesota State University-Mankato than Virginia State University ($17,726.00 vs. $17,038.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia State University than Minnesota State University-Mankato ($16,184 vs. $17,227)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minnesota State University Mankato are 15.5% lower than costs at Virginia State University ($11,224 vs. $12,966)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia State University than Minnesota State University Mankato (92% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia State University students is 112.1% larger than aid received Minnesota State University Mankato ($12,300 vs. $5,798)

Minnesota State University-Mankato vs. VSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Minnesota State University Mankato (1030) is 173 points higher than at VSU (857)
  • Incoming Minnesota State University-Mankato students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at VSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Minnesota State University-Mankato students have a 0.52 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at VSU (2.85)
  • Minnesota State University-Mankato has a higher acceptance rate (91.3%) than VSU (89.1%)

Minnesota State University-Mankato vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Minnesota State University-Mankato 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 Minnesota State University-Mankato.

  • The graduation rate at Minnesota State University-Mankato is higher than Virginia State University (50% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Minnesota State University Mankato earn on average $9,600 more per year than VSU graduates after ten years. ($46,300 vs. $36,700)
  • Minnesota State University Mankato students graduate with a $6,925 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($22,575 vs. $29,500)
  • Minnesota State University-Mankato graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($233 vs. $305)
  • More Minnesota State University-Mankato graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 28%)

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