NSU vs. Roanoke College

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

NSU Roanoke College
Location Norfolk, VA Salem, VA
Setting Midsize City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 6,045 1,835
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #999 #361
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsu.edu roanoke.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NSU Roanoke College
Tuition (In State) $5,926 $34,820
Tuition (Out of State) $17,428 $34,820
Room & Board $11,692 $15,366
Avg Net Price $12,272 $27,695
Avg Grant Aid $11,153 $26,341
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

NSU Roanoke College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,211 6,829
Admitted 8,931 5,468
Acceptance Rate 87.5% 80.1%
Enrolled % 16.8% 9.7%
Avg High School GPA 2.9 3.56
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/21 22/30
SAT Range 840/1100 1090/1270
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

Academics

NSU Roanoke College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • History (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

NSU Roanoke College
Graduation Rate 33% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,700 $51,200
Making Student Loan Payments 27% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $320 $279

Diversity

NSU Roanoke College
% Men 3% 0%
% Women 5% 0%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 5% 82%
% Black 84% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

NSU Roanoke College
% In-State 65% 58%
% Out-of-State 31% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Norfolk State University is larger than than Roanoke College based on total student enrollment (6,045 students vs. 1,835 students)

NSU vs. Roanoke College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or Roanoke College?

  • Roanoke College is 487.6% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($34,820.00 vs. $5,926.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 99.8% higher at Roanoke College than Norfolk State University ($34,820.00 vs. $17,428.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than Roanoke College ($12,272 vs. $27,695)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Norfolk State University are 31.4% lower than costs at Roanoke College ($11,692 vs. $15,366)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Roanoke College than Norfolk State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Roanoke College students is 136.2% larger than aid received Norfolk State University ($26,341 vs. $11,153)

NSU vs. Roanoke College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Roanoke College (1092) is 284 points higher than at NSU (808)
  • Incoming Roanoke College students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at NSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman Roanoke College students have a 0.66 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at NSU (2.9)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than Roanoke College (80.1%)

NSU vs. Roanoke College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU or Roanoke 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 Roanoke College and NSU.

  • The graduation rate at Roanoke College is higher than Norfolk State University (69% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Roanoke College earn on average $14,500 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($51,200 vs. $36,700)
  • Roanoke College students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($27,000 vs. $31,000)
  • Roanoke College graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($279 vs. $320)
  • More Roanoke College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 27%)

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