MSU Billings vs. VSU

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

 MSU Billings VSU
Location Billings, MT Petersburg, VA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,057 4,648
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #980
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website msubillings.edu vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MSU Billings VSU
Tuition (In State) $4,620 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $18,209 $16,542
Room & Board $8,348 $11,544
Avg Net Price $12,487 $15,773
Avg Grant Aid $5,394 $11,498
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 92%

Admission

 MSU Billings VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 8,230
Admitted - 7,384
Acceptance Rate 89.7%
Enrolled % 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.05 2.85
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 14/17
SAT Range 830/1030
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025

Academics

 MSU Billings VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

 MSU Billings VSU
Graduation Rate 33% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,800 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,500 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $180 $305

Diversity

 MSU Billings VSU
% Men 35% 40%
% Women 65% 60%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 82% 3%
% Black 1% 87%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 4% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

 MSU Billings VSU
% In-State 86% 72%
% Out-of-State 11% 27%

Campus

 MSU Billings VSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia State University is larger than than MSU Billings based on total student enrollment (4,648 students vs. 4,057 students)

MSU Billings vs. VSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MSU Billings or VSU?

  • Virginia State University is 19.9% more expensive to attend than MSU Billings for in-state tuition ($5,540.00 vs. $4,620.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.1% higher at MSU Billings than Virginia State University ($18,209.00 vs. $16,542.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Montana State University Billings than VSU ($12,487 vs. $15,773)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Montana State University Billings are 38.3% lower than costs at Virginia State University ($8,348 vs. $11,544)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Montana State University Billings than Virginia State University (98% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia State University students is 113.2% larger than aid received Montana State University Billings ($11,498 vs. $5,394)

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

  • Accepted freshman MSU Billings students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.05) than students at VSU (2.85)

MSU Billings vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MSU Billings 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 MSU Billings.

  • The graduation rate at VSU is higher than Montana State University Billings (40% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Montana State University Billings earn on average $1,100 more per year than VSU graduates after ten years. ($37,800 vs. $36,700)
  • Montana State University Billings students graduate with a $12,000 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($17,500 vs. $29,500)
  • MSU Billings graduates are paying $125 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($180 vs. $305)
  • More MSU Billings graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 28%)

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