VSU vs. Marshall University

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

VSU Marshall University
Location Petersburg, VA Huntington, WV
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 4,648 10,691
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #980 #813
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vsu.edu marshall.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

VSU Marshall University
Tuition (In State) $5,540 $7,190
Tuition (Out of State) $16,542 $18,244
Room & Board $11,544 $11,840
Avg Net Price $15,773 $8,756
Avg Grant Aid $11,498 $11,221
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 96%

Admission

VSU Marshall University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,230 6,356
Admitted 7,384 6,158
Acceptance Rate 89.7% 96.9%
Enrolled % 18.7% 25.2%
Avg High School GPA 2.85 3.68
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 14/17 19/25
SAT Range 830/1030 930/1150
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 Aug 10, 2025

Academics

VSU Marshall University
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

VSU Marshall University
Graduation Rate 40% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,700 $40,200
Making Student Loan Payments 28% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $29,500 $23,134
Median Loan Payment $305 $239

Diversity

VSU Marshall University
% Men 40% 40%
% Women 60% 60%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 3% 84%
% Black 87% 7%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

VSU Marshall University
% In-State 72% 79%
% Out-of-State 27% 20%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Marshall University is larger than than VSU based on total student enrollment (10,691 students vs. 4,648 students)

VSU vs. Marshall University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VSU or Marshall University?

  • Marshall University is 29.8% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($7,190.00 vs. $5,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.3% higher at Marshall University than Virginia State University ($18,244.00 vs. $16,542.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Marshall University than VSU ($8,756 vs. $15,773)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia State University are 2.6% lower than costs at Marshall University ($11,544 vs. $11,840)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Marshall University than Virginia State University (96% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia State University students is 2.5% larger than aid received Marshall University ($11,498 vs. $11,221)

VSU vs. Marshall University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Marshall University (1028) is 171 points higher than at VSU (857)
  • Incoming Marshall University students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at VSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Marshall University students have a 0.83 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at VSU (2.85)
  • Marshall University has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than VSU (89.7%)

VSU vs. Marshall University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, VSU or Marshall University? 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 Marshall University and VSU.

  • The graduation rate at Marshall University is higher than Virginia State University (44% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Marshall University earn on average $3,500 more per year than VSU graduates after ten years. ($40,200 vs. $36,700)
  • Marshall University students graduate with a $6,366 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($23,134 vs. $29,500)
  • Marshall University graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($239 vs. $305)
  • More Marshall University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 28%)

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