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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

VSU Old Dominion Hampton University Bowie State University ECSU Delaware State University Fayetteville State University Morgan State Concord University WSSU North Carolina Central University Coppin
Norfolk State University vs. Bluefield State College comparison
Norfolk State University Bluefield State College College 3 College 4
Norfolk State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 NSU Bluefield State College
Location Norfolk, VA Bluefield, WV
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 5,783 1,306
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1008 #986
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsu.edu bluefieldstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 NSU Bluefield State College
Tuition (In State) $5,752 $8,840
Tuition (Out of State) $16,920 $16,030
Room & Board $10,844 $10,200
Avg Net Price $14,652 $11,759
Avg Grant Aid $12,164 $10,160
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 96%

Admission

 NSU Bluefield State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,884 813
Admitted 7,951 790
Acceptance Rate 89.5% 97.2%
Enrolled % 16.4% 33.4%
Avg High School GPA 2.9 3.41
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20 17/22
SAT Range 840/1040 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, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 NSU Bluefield State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 14:1
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 33% 40%
% Women 67% 60%
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 (5,783 students vs. 1,306 students)

NSU vs. Bluefield State College Cost Comparison

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

  • Bluefield State College is 53.7% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($8,840.00 vs. $5,752.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.6% higher at NSU than Bluefield State College ($16,920.00 vs. $16,030.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bluefield State College than NSU ($11,759 vs. $14,652)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bluefield State College are 6.3% lower than costs at Norfolk State University ($10,200 vs. $10,844)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bluefield State College than Norfolk State University (96% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Norfolk State University students is 19.7% larger than aid received Bluefield State College ($12,164 vs. $10,160)

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)
  • Bluefield State College has a higher acceptance rate (97.2%) than NSU (89.5%)

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/