Wake Forest vs. NSU

Should I go to Wake Forest University or Norfolk State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wake Forest 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.

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Wake Forest University vs. Norfolk State University comparison
Wake Forest University Norfolk State University College 3 College 4
Wake Forest University Norfolk State University
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Overview

Wake Forest NSU
Location Winston Salem, NC Norfolk, VA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 8,963 5,783
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1008
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wfu.edu nsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wake Forest NSU
Tuition (In State) $61,012 $5,752
Tuition (Out of State) $61,012 $16,920
Room & Board $16,652 $10,844
Avg Net Price $26,197 $14,652
Avg Grant Aid $54,233 $12,164
% Receiving Grant Aid 29% 91%

Admission

Wake Forest NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,857 8,884
Admitted 3,602 7,951
Acceptance Rate 21.4% 89.5%
Enrolled % 38% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA - 2.9
Typical High School Grades - B-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 15/20
SAT Range 840/1040
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, 2025 May 31, 2025

Academics

Wake Forest NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

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 43% 33%
% Women 57% 67%
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 14% 65%
% Out-of-State 77% 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 (8,963 students vs. 5,783 students)

Wake Forest vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wake Forest or NSU?

  • Wake Forest University is 960.7% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($61,012.00 vs. $5,752.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 260.6% higher at Wake Forest than Norfolk State University ($61,012.00 vs. $16,920.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than Wake Forest ($14,652 vs. $26,197)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Norfolk State University are 53.6% lower than costs at Wake Forest University ($10,844 vs. $16,652)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Norfolk State University than Wake Forest University (91% vs. 29%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 345.8% larger than aid received Norfolk State University ($54,233 vs. $12,164)

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 (89.5%) than Wake Forest (21.4%)

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/