NSU vs. Bluefield State College

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

 NSU Bluefield State College
Location Norfolk, VA Bluefield, WV
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 6,045 1,270
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #999 #986
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsu.edu bluefieldstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 NSU Bluefield State College
Tuition (In State) $5,926 $9,240
Tuition (Out of State) $17,428 $16,560
Room & Board $11,692 $11,327
Avg Net Price $12,272 $14,500
Avg Grant Aid $11,153 $9,634
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 98%

Admission

 NSU Bluefield State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,211 720
Admitted 8,931 628
Acceptance Rate 87.5% 87.2%
Enrolled % 16.8% 34.4%
Avg High School GPA 2.9 3.41
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/21 17/22
SAT Range 840/1100 870/1080
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 31, 2026 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 NSU Bluefield State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (29%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

 NSU Bluefield State College
Graduation Rate 33% 22%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,700 $31,800
Making Student Loan Payments 27% 30%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $320 $196

Diversity

 NSU Bluefield State College
% Men 3% 0%
% Women 5% 1%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU Yes Yes
% White 5% 85%
% Black 84% 9%
% Hispanic 3% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 1%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 NSU Bluefield State College
% In-State 65% 54%
% Out-of-State 31% 46%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Norfolk State University is larger than than Bluefield State College based on total student enrollment (6,045 students vs. 1,270 students)

NSU vs. Bluefield State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or Bluefield State College?

  • Bluefield State College is 55.9% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($9,240.00 vs. $5,926.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.2% higher at NSU than Bluefield State College ($17,428.00 vs. $16,560.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than Bluefield State College ($12,272 vs. $14,500)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bluefield State College are 3.2% lower than costs at Norfolk State University ($11,327 vs. $11,692)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bluefield State College than Norfolk State University (98% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Norfolk State University students is 15.8% larger than aid received Bluefield State College ($11,153 vs. $9,634)

NSU vs. Bluefield State College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Bluefield State College (934) is 126 points higher than at NSU (808)
  • Incoming Bluefield State College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at NSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman Bluefield State College students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at NSU (2.9)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than Bluefield State College (87.2%)

NSU vs. Bluefield State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU or Bluefield State College? 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 Bluefield State College and NSU.

  • The graduation rate at NSU is higher than Bluefield State College (33% vs. 22%)
  • Graduates from Norfolk State University earn on average $4,900 more per year than Bluefield State College graduates after ten years. ($36,700 vs. $31,800)
  • Bluefield State College students graduate with a $12,000 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($19,000 vs. $31,000)
  • Bluefield State College graduates are paying $124 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($196 vs. $320)
  • More Bluefield State College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (30% vs. 27%)

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