Spelman vs. RU

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

Spelman RU
Location Atlanta, GA Radford, VA
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 3,102 7,718
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #392 #566
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website spelman.edu radford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Spelman RU
Tuition (In State) $25,880 $8,156
Tuition (Out of State) $25,880 $20,246
Room & Board $15,666 $10,567
Avg Net Price $37,085 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $10,629 $9,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 96%

Admission

Spelman RU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,649 11,442
Admitted 3,875 10,680
Acceptance Rate 28.4% 93.3%
Enrolled % 14.9% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.31
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 20/25 19/23
SAT Range 1050/1200 960/1160
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Spelman RU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Psychology (20%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Spelman RU
Graduation Rate 77% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,300 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $237

Diversity

Spelman RU
% Men 5% 33%
% Women 95% 67%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 0% 71%
% Black 96% 13%
% Hispanic 0% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Spelman RU
% In-State 23% 89%
% Out-of-State 77% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Radford University is larger than than Spelman based on total student enrollment (7,718 students vs. 3,102 students)

Spelman vs. RU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Spelman or RU?

  • Spelman College is 217.3% more expensive to attend than RU for in-state tuition ($25,880.00 vs. $8,156.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.8% higher at Spelman than Radford University ($25,880.00 vs. $20,246.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Radford University than Spelman ($17,105 vs. $37,085)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Radford University are 48.3% lower than costs at Spelman College ($10,567 vs. $15,666)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Spelman College than Radford University (97% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Spelman College students is 9.2% larger than aid received Radford University ($10,629 vs. $9,733)

Spelman vs. RU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Spelman 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 Spelman (28.4%)

Spelman vs. RU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Spelman is higher than Radford University (77% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Spelman College earn on average $3,900 more per year than RU graduates after ten years. ($51,300 vs. $47,400)
  • Radford University students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Spelman graduates. ($23,000 vs. $27,000)
  • RU graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than Spelman graduates. ($237 vs. $279)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Spelman students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 47%)

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