SUNY Empire State College vs. NSU

Should I go to SUNY Empire State College or Norfolk State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SUNY Empire State College or NSU 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
SUNY Empire State College vs. Norfolk State University comparison
SUNY Empire State College Norfolk State University College 3 College 4
SUNY Empire State College Norfolk State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

SUNY Empire State College NSU
Location Saratoga Springs, NY Norfolk, VA
Setting Small Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 9,407 5,783
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1008
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website esc.edu nsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SUNY Empire State College NSU
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $5,752
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $16,920
Room & Board $11,600 $10,844
Avg Net Price $9,704 $14,652
Avg Grant Aid $9,343 $12,164
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 91%

Admission

SUNY Empire State College NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 8,884
Admitted - 7,951
Acceptance Rate 89.5%
Enrolled % 16.4%
Avg High School GPA - 2.9
Typical High School Grades - B-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20
SAT Range 840/1040
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 31, 2025

Academics

SUNY Empire State College NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (40%)
  • Human Services (20%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

SUNY Empire State College NSU
Graduation Rate 19% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,000 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $240 $320

Diversity

SUNY Empire State College NSU
% Men 33% 33%
% Women 67% 67%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 60% 5%
% Black 16% 84%
% Hispanic 12% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 5% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

SUNY Empire State College NSU
% In-State 86% 65%
% Out-of-State 7% 31%

Campus

SUNY Empire State College NSU
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY Empire State College is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (9,407 students vs. 5,783 students)

SUNY Empire State College vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY Empire State College or NSU?

  • SUNY Empire State College is 22.9% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($7,070.00 vs. $5,752.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.4% higher at SUNY Empire State College than Norfolk State University ($16,980.00 vs. $16,920.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY Empire State College than NSU ($9,704 vs. $14,652)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Norfolk State University are 7% lower than costs at SUNY Empire State College ($10,844 vs. $11,600)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Norfolk State University than SUNY Empire State College (91% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Norfolk State University students is 30.2% larger than aid received SUNY Empire State College ($12,164 vs. $9,343)

Which college is harder to get into, SUNY Empire State College or NSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between NSU or SUNY Empire State College .

SUNY Empire State College vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SUNY Empire State College or NSU? 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 NSU and SUNY Empire State College.

  • The graduation rate at NSU is higher than SUNY Empire State College (33% vs. 19%)
  • Graduates from SUNY Empire State College earn on average $9,300 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($46,000 vs. $36,700)
  • SUNY Empire State College students graduate with a $7,750 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($23,250 vs. $31,000)
  • SUNY Empire State College graduates are paying $80 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($240 vs. $320)
  • More SUNY Empire State College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (44% vs. 27%)

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