RU vs. UVa-Wise

Should I go to Radford University or The University of Virginia's College at Wise? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if RU or UVa-Wise 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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Radford University vs. The University of Virginia's College at Wise comparison
Radford University The University of Virginia's College at Wise College 3 College 4
Radford University The University of Virginia's College at Wise
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Overview

RU UVa-Wise
Location Radford, VA Wise, VA
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 7,718 1,704
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #566 #750
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website radford.edu uvawise.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

RU UVa-Wise
Tuition (In State) $8,156 $6,040
Tuition (Out of State) $20,246 $25,419
Room & Board $10,567 $11,919
Avg Net Price $17,105 $9,923
Avg Grant Aid $9,733 $14,299
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 98%

Admission

RU UVa-Wise
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,442 835
Admitted 10,680 631
Acceptance Rate 93.3% 75.6%
Enrolled % 11.5% 39.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/23 19/25
SAT Range 960/1160 915/1160
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

RU UVa-Wise
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

RU UVa-Wise
Graduation Rate 56% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,400 $42,100
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $20,827
Median Loan Payment $237 $215

Diversity

RU UVa-Wise
% Men 33% 40%
% Women 67% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 78%
% Black 13% 12%
% Hispanic 7% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

RU UVa-Wise
% In-State 89% 76%
% Out-of-State 11% 21%

Campus

RU UVa-Wise
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 UVa-Wise based on total student enrollment (7,718 students vs. 1,704 students)

RU vs. UVa-Wise Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RU or UVa-Wise?

  • Radford University is 35% more expensive to attend than UVa-Wise for in-state tuition ($8,156.00 vs. $6,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.6% higher at UVa-Wise than Radford University ($25,419.00 vs. $20,246.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than RU ($9,923 vs. $17,105)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Radford University are 12.8% lower than costs at The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($10,567 vs. $11,919)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than Radford University (98% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Virginia's College at Wise students is 46.9% larger than aid received Radford University ($14,299 vs. $9,733)

RU vs. UVa-Wise Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman UVa-Wise students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at RU (3.31)
  • RU has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than UVa-Wise (75.6%)

RU vs. UVa-Wise Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RU or UVa-Wise? 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 UVa-Wise and RU.

  • The graduation rate at RU is higher than The University of Virginia's College at Wise (56% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $5,300 more per year than UVa-Wise graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $42,100)
  • The University of Virginia's College at Wise students graduate with a $2,173 lower median federal student loan debt than RU graduates. ($20,827 vs. $23,000)
  • UVa-Wise graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than RU graduates. ($215 vs. $237)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UVa-Wise students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 57%)

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