SU vs. VSU

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

SU VSU
Location Winchester, VA Petersburg, VA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,260 4,648
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #537 #980
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website su.edu vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SU VSU
Tuition (In State) $33,790 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $33,790 $16,542
Room & Board $11,230 $11,544
Avg Net Price $26,143 $15,773
Avg Grant Aid $23,467 $11,498
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 92%

Admission

SU VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,296 8,230
Admitted 1,845 7,384
Acceptance Rate 80.4% 89.7%
Enrolled % 25.7% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 2.85
Typical High School Grades A- B-
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 14/17
SAT Range 1010/1230 830/1030
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

SU VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

SU VSU
Graduation Rate 45% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,300 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $305

Diversity

SU VSU
% Men 32% 40%
% Women 68% 60%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 59% 3%
% Black 11% 87%
% Hispanic 6% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 13% 7%

Students

SU VSU
% In-State 52% 72%
% Out-of-State 48% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia State University is larger than than SU based on total student enrollment (4,648 students vs. 4,260 students)

SU vs. VSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SU or VSU?

  • Shenandoah University is 509.9% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($33,790.00 vs. $5,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 104.3% higher at SU than Virginia State University ($33,790.00 vs. $16,542.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia State University than SU ($15,773 vs. $26,143)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shenandoah University are 2.8% lower than costs at Virginia State University ($11,230 vs. $11,544)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shenandoah University than Virginia State University (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shenandoah University students is 104.1% larger than aid received Virginia State University ($23,467 vs. $11,498)

SU vs. VSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Shenandoah University (1005) is 148 points higher than at VSU (857)
  • Incoming SU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at VSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman SU students have a 0.85 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at VSU (2.85)
  • VSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.7%) than SU (80.4%)

SU vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SU 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 SU.

  • The graduation rate at SU is higher than Virginia State University (45% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Shenandoah University earn on average $11,600 more per year than VSU graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $36,700)
  • Shenandoah University students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $29,500)
  • SU graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($258 vs. $305)
  • More SU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 28%)

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