South Carolina State University vs. VSU

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

South Carolina State University VSU
Location Orangeburg, SC Petersburg, VA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,649 4,648
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1011 #980
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website scsu.edu vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

South Carolina State University VSU
Tuition (In State) $9,528 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $20,218 $16,542
Room & Board $9,000 $11,544
Avg Net Price $17,435 $15,773
Avg Grant Aid $15,873 $11,498
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 92%

Admission

South Carolina State University VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,833 8,230
Admitted 5,733 7,384
Acceptance Rate 83.9% 89.7%
Enrolled % 15.7% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.17 2.85
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/19 14/17
SAT Range 800/1050 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 Jul 31, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

South Carolina State University VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

South Carolina State University VSU
Graduation Rate 35% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $31,000 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 27% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $33,205 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $343 $305

Diversity

South Carolina State University VSU
% Men 44% 40%
% Women 56% 60%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Very Low
HBCU Yes Yes
% White 2% 3%
% Black 96% 87%
% Hispanic 0% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 0%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 7%

Students

South Carolina State University VSU
% In-State 77% 72%
% Out-of-State 23% 27%

Campus

South Carolina State University 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 South Carolina State University based on total student enrollment (4,648 students vs. 2,649 students)

South Carolina State University vs. VSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, South Carolina State University or VSU?

  • South Carolina State University is 72% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($9,528.00 vs. $5,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.2% higher at South Carolina State University than Virginia State University ($20,218.00 vs. $16,542.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia State University than South Carolina State University ($15,773 vs. $17,435)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at South Carolina State University are 28.3% lower than costs at Virginia State University ($9,000 vs. $11,544)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at South Carolina State University than Virginia State University (96% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by South Carolina State University students is 38.1% larger than aid received Virginia State University ($15,873 vs. $11,498)

South Carolina State University vs. VSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia State University (857) is 97 points higher than at South Carolina State University (760)
  • Incoming VSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (18) than students at South Carolina State University (16)
  • Accepted freshman South Carolina State University students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.17) than students at VSU (2.85)
  • VSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.7%) than South Carolina State University (83.9%)

South Carolina State University vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, South Carolina State University 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 South Carolina State University.

  • The graduation rate at VSU is higher than South Carolina State University (40% vs. 35%)
  • Graduates from Virginia State University earn on average $5,700 more per year than South Carolina State University graduates after ten years. ($36,700 vs. $31,000)
  • Virginia State University students graduate with a $3,705 lower median federal student loan debt than South Carolina State University graduates. ($29,500 vs. $33,205)
  • VSU graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than South Carolina State University graduates. ($305 vs. $343)
  • More VSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former South Carolina State University students, three years after graduation. (28% vs. 27%)

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