Central vs. VSU

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

 Central VSU
Location Warrensburg, MO Petersburg, VA
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 11,637 4,648
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #708 #980
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucmo.edu vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Central VSU
Tuition (In State) $8,040 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $16,080 $16,542
Room & Board $9,699 $11,544
Avg Net Price $15,117 $15,773
Avg Grant Aid $6,517 $11,498
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 92%

Admission

 Central VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,993 8,230
Admitted 3,562 7,384
Acceptance Rate 71.3% 89.7%
Enrolled % 28.9% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 2.85
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 14/17
SAT Range 830/1030
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, 2025

Academics

 Central VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

 Central VSU
Graduation Rate 50% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,500 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,441 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $232 $305

Diversity

 Central VSU
% Men 46% 40%
% Women 54% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 77% 3%
% Black 11% 87%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

 Central VSU
% In-State 88% 72%
% Out-of-State 11% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Central Missouri is larger than than VSU based on total student enrollment (11,637 students vs. 4,648 students)

Central vs. VSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central or VSU?

  • University of Central Missouri is 45.1% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($8,040.00 vs. $5,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.9% higher at VSU than University of Central Missouri ($16,542.00 vs. $16,080.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Central Missouri than VSU ($15,117 vs. $15,773)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Missouri are 19% lower than costs at Virginia State University ($9,699 vs. $11,544)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Central Missouri than Virginia State University (98% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia State University students is 76.4% larger than aid received University of Central Missouri ($11,498 vs. $6,517)

Central vs. VSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Central Missouri (1010) is 153 points higher than at VSU (857)
  • Incoming Central students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at VSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Central students have a 0.83 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at VSU (2.85)
  • VSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.7%) than Central (71.3%)

Central vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Central 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 Central.

  • The graduation rate at Central is higher than Virginia State University (50% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from University of Central Missouri earn on average $4,800 more per year than VSU graduates after ten years. ($41,500 vs. $36,700)
  • University of Central Missouri students graduate with a $7,059 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($22,441 vs. $29,500)
  • Central graduates are paying $73 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($232 vs. $305)
  • More Central graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 28%)

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