SVU vs. VSU

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

SVU VSU
Location Buena Vista, VA Petersburg, VA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 967 5,190
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #930
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website svu.edu vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SVU VSU
Tuition (In State) $19,790 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $19,790 $17,038
Room & Board $9,376 $12,966
Avg Net Price $25,440 $16,184
Avg Grant Aid $7,775 $12,300
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 92%

Admission

SVU VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,101 10,577
Admitted 1,097 9,424
Acceptance Rate 99.6% 89.1%
Enrolled % 26.9% 15.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.19 2.85
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 14/20
SAT Range 943/1253 800/1050
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, 2026

Academics

SVU VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Work and Family Studies (12%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

SVU VSU
Graduation Rate 25% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,600 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,654 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $244 $305

Diversity

SVU VSU
% Men 31% 3%
% Women 29% 4%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 80% 3%
% Black 4% 87%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

SVU VSU
% In-State 12% 66%
% Out-of-State 73% 33%

Campus

SVU 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

  • Virginia State University is larger than than SVU based on total student enrollment (5,190 students vs. 967 students)

SVU vs. VSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SVU or VSU?

  • Southern Virginia University is 257.2% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($19,790.00 vs. $5,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.2% higher at SVU than Virginia State University ($19,790.00 vs. $17,038.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia State University than SVU ($16,184 vs. $25,440)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Virginia University are 38.3% lower than costs at Virginia State University ($9,376 vs. $12,966)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Virginia University than Virginia State University (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia State University students is 58.2% larger than aid received Southern Virginia University ($12,300 vs. $7,775)

SVU vs. VSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southern Virginia University (1041) is 184 points higher than at VSU (857)
  • Incoming SVU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at VSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman SVU students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.19) than students at VSU (2.85)
  • SVU has a higher acceptance rate (99.6%) than VSU (89.1%)

SVU vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SVU 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 SVU.

  • The graduation rate at VSU is higher than Southern Virginia University (40% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Southern Virginia University earn on average $3,900 more per year than VSU graduates after ten years. ($40,600 vs. $36,700)
  • Southern Virginia University students graduate with a $5,846 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($23,654 vs. $29,500)
  • SVU graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($244 vs. $305)
  • More SVU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 28%)

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