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VSU UNC Chapel Hill University of Richmond Old Dominion Hampton University BC Duke Villanova UVA Davidson Holy Cross William & Mary| Wake Forest University | Norfolk State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Wake Forest | NSU | ||
| Location | Winston Salem, NC | Norfolk, VA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 9,121 | 6,045 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #44 | #999 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wfu.edu | nsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Wake Forest | NSU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,608 | $5,926 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,608 | $17,428 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,848 | $11,692 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,790 | $12,272 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $55,090 | $11,153 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 34% | 97% |
Admission |
Wake Forest | NSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 17,479 | 10,211 | ||
| Admitted | 3,768 | 8,931 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 21.6% | 87.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 36.8% | 16.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | - | 2.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | - | B- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | |||
| ACT Range | 32/34 | 16/21 | ||
| SAT Range | 1390/1510 | 840/1100 | ||
| 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 | Jan 1, 2026 | May 31, 2026 |
Academics |
Wake Forest | NSU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Wake Forest | NSU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 88% | 33% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $77,200 | $36,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 88% | 27% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,000 | $31,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $237 | $320 |
Diversity |
Wake Forest | NSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 16% | 3% | ||
| % Women | 24% | 5% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | Yes | ||
| % White | 72% | 5% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 84% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 7% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 3% |
Students |
Wake Forest | NSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 15% | 65% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 76% | 31% | ||
Campus |
Wake Forest | NSU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Wake Forest University is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (9,121 students vs. 6,045 students)
Wake Forest vs. NSU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Wake Forest or NSU?
- Wake Forest University is 973.4% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($63,608.00 vs. $5,926.00)
- Out of state tuition is 265% higher at Wake Forest than Norfolk State University ($63,608.00 vs. $17,428.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than Wake Forest ($12,272 vs. $27,790)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Norfolk State University are 52.7% lower than costs at Wake Forest University ($11,692 vs. $17,848)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Norfolk State University than Wake Forest University (97% vs. 34%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 393.9% larger than aid received Norfolk State University ($55,090 vs. $11,153)
Wake Forest vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Wake Forest or NSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between NSU or Wake Forest .
- NSU has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than Wake Forest (21.6%)
Wake Forest vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Wake Forest 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 Wake Forest.
- The graduation rate at Wake Forest is higher than Norfolk State University (88% vs. 33%)
- Graduates from Wake Forest University earn on average $40,500 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $36,700)
- Wake Forest University students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($23,000 vs. $31,000)
- Wake Forest graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($237 vs. $320)
- More Wake Forest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 27%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/