RU vs. VCU

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

RU VCU
Location Radford, VA Richmond, VA
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 7,718 28,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #566 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website radford.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

RU VCU
Tuition (In State) $8,156 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $20,246 $33,726
Room & Board $10,567 $12,279
Avg Net Price $17,105 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $9,733 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 83%

Admission

RU VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,442 18,242
Admitted 10,680 16,600
Acceptance Rate 93.3% 91%
Enrolled % 11.5% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/23 22/30
SAT Range 960/1160 1030/1290
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 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

RU VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

RU VCU
Graduation Rate 56% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,400 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $237 $240

Diversity

RU VCU
% Men 33% 36%
% Women 67% 64%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 50%
% Black 13% 18%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

RU VCU
% In-State 89% 92%
% Out-of-State 11% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than RU based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 7,718 students)

RU vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RU or VCU?

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is 52.7% more expensive to attend than RU for in-state tuition ($12,458.00 vs. $8,156.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66.6% higher at VCU than Radford University ($33,726.00 vs. $20,246.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Radford University than VCU ($17,105 vs. $21,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Radford University are 16.2% lower than costs at Virginia Commonwealth University ($10,567 vs. $12,279)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Radford University than Virginia Commonwealth University (96% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 29.3% larger than aid received Radford University ($12,583 vs. $9,733)

RU vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at RU (3.31)
  • RU has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than VCU (91%)

RU vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RU or VCU? 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 VCU and RU.

  • The graduation rate at RU is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (56% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn on average $100 more per year than RU graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $47,400)
  • Radford University students graduate with a $250 lower median federal student loan debt than VCU graduates. ($23,000 vs. $23,250)
  • RU graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than VCU graduates. ($237 vs. $240)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 56%)

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