NSU vs. SVU

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

NSU SVU
Location Norfolk, VA Buena Vista, VA
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 6,045 967
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #999
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsu.edu svu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NSU SVU
Tuition (In State) $5,926 $19,790
Tuition (Out of State) $17,428 $19,790
Room & Board $11,692 $9,376
Avg Net Price $12,272 $25,440
Avg Grant Aid $11,153 $7,775
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

NSU SVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,211 1,101
Admitted 8,931 1,097
Acceptance Rate 87.5% 99.6%
Enrolled % 16.8% 26.9%
Avg High School GPA 2.9 3.19
Typical High School Grades B- B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/21 18/25
SAT Range 840/1100 943/1253
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 SVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Work and Family Studies (12%)

Outcomes

NSU SVU
Graduation Rate 33% 25%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,700 $40,600
Making Student Loan Payments 27% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $23,654
Median Loan Payment $320 $244

Diversity

NSU SVU
% Men 3% 31%
% Women 5% 29%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 5% 80%
% Black 84% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

NSU SVU
% In-State 65% 12%
% Out-of-State 31% 73%

Campus

NSU SVU
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 SVU based on total student enrollment (6,045 students vs. 967 students)

NSU vs. SVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or SVU?

  • Southern Virginia University is 234% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($19,790.00 vs. $5,926.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.6% higher at SVU than Norfolk State University ($19,790.00 vs. $17,428.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than SVU ($12,272 vs. $25,440)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Virginia University are 24.7% lower than costs at Norfolk State University ($9,376 vs. $11,692)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Virginia University than Norfolk State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Norfolk State University students is 43.4% larger than aid received Southern Virginia University ($11,153 vs. $7,775)

NSU vs. SVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southern Virginia University (1041) is 233 points higher than at NSU (808)
  • Incoming SVU students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at NSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman SVU students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.19) than students at NSU (2.9)
  • SVU has a higher acceptance rate (99.6%) than NSU (87.5%)

NSU vs. SVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU or SVU? 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 SVU and NSU.

  • The graduation rate at NSU is higher than Southern Virginia University (33% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Southern Virginia University earn on average $3,900 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($40,600 vs. $36,700)
  • Southern Virginia University students graduate with a $7,346 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($23,654 vs. $31,000)
  • SVU graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($244 vs. $320)
  • More SVU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 27%)

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