Piedmont College vs. RU

Should I go to Piedmont College or Radford University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Piedmont College or RU 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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Piedmont College vs. Radford University comparison
Piedmont College Radford University College 3 College 4
Piedmont College Radford University
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Overview

Piedmont College RU
Location Demorest, GA Radford, VA
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,843 7,718
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #522 #566
Religious Affiliation United Church of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website piedmont.edu radford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Piedmont College RU
Tuition (In State) $28,970 $8,156
Tuition (Out of State) $28,970 $20,246
Room & Board $11,562 $10,567
Avg Net Price $18,792 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $24,065 $9,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

Piedmont College RU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,331 11,442
Admitted 1,500 10,680
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 93.3%
Enrolled % 20.1% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 19/23
SAT Range 990/1200 960/1160
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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

Piedmont College RU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (40%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (4%)
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Piedmont College RU
Graduation Rate 46% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,000 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,736 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $245 $237

Diversity

Piedmont College RU
% Men 28% 33%
% Women 72% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 71%
% Black 9% 13%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 10% 1%

Students

Piedmont College RU
% In-State 85% 89%
% Out-of-State 14% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Radford University is larger than than Piedmont College based on total student enrollment (7,718 students vs. 1,843 students)

Piedmont College vs. RU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Piedmont College or RU?

  • Piedmont College is 255.2% more expensive to attend than RU for in-state tuition ($28,970.00 vs. $8,156.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.1% higher at Piedmont College than Radford University ($28,970.00 vs. $20,246.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Radford University than Piedmont College ($17,105 vs. $18,792)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Radford University are 9.4% lower than costs at Piedmont College ($10,567 vs. $11,562)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Piedmont College than Radford University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Piedmont College students is 147.3% larger than aid received Radford University ($24,065 vs. $9,733)

Piedmont College vs. RU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Piedmont College students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at RU (3.31)
  • RU has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than Piedmont College (64.4%)

Piedmont College vs. RU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Piedmont College or RU? 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 RU and Piedmont College.

  • The graduation rate at RU is higher than Piedmont College (56% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $6,400 more per year than Piedmont College graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $41,000)
  • Radford University students graduate with a $736 lower median federal student loan debt than Piedmont College graduates. ($23,000 vs. $23,736)
  • RU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Piedmont College graduates. ($237 vs. $245)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Piedmont College students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 44%)

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