RU vs. VSU

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

RU VSU
Location Radford, VA Petersburg, VA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 7,718 4,648
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #566 #980
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website radford.edu vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

RU VSU
Tuition (In State) $8,156 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $20,246 $16,542
Room & Board $10,567 $11,544
Avg Net Price $17,105 $15,773
Avg Grant Aid $9,733 $11,498
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 92%

Admission

RU VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,442 8,230
Admitted 10,680 7,384
Acceptance Rate 93.3% 89.7%
Enrolled % 11.5% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 2.85
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/23 14/17
SAT Range 960/1160 830/1030
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 1, 2025

Academics

RU VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

RU VSU
Graduation Rate 56% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,400 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $237 $305

Diversity

RU VSU
% Men 33% 40%
% Women 67% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 71% 3%
% Black 13% 87%
% 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 VSU
% In-State 89% 72%
% Out-of-State 11% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Radford University is larger than than VSU based on total student enrollment (7,718 students vs. 4,648 students)

RU vs. VSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RU or VSU?

  • Radford University is 47.2% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($8,156.00 vs. $5,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.4% higher at RU than Virginia State University ($20,246.00 vs. $16,542.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia State University than RU ($15,773 vs. $17,105)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Radford University are 9.2% lower than costs at Virginia State University ($10,567 vs. $11,544)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Radford University than Virginia State University (96% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia State University students is 18.1% larger than aid received Radford University ($11,498 vs. $9,733)

RU vs. VSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman RU students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at VSU (2.85)
  • RU has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than VSU (89.7%)

RU vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at RU is higher than Virginia State University (56% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $10,700 more per year than VSU graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $36,700)
  • Radford University students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($23,000 vs. $29,500)
  • RU graduates are paying $68 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($237 vs. $305)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 28%)

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