WSSU vs. Ferrum College

Should I go to Winston Salem State University or Ferrum College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WSSU or Ferrum College 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

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

North Carolina Central University NCAT Fayetteville State University UNCG ECSU Wake Forest ECU VSU Catawba College NSU Bowie State University Guilford College
Winston Salem State University vs. Ferrum College comparison
Winston Salem State University Ferrum College College 3 College 4
Winston Salem State University Ferrum College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 WSSU Ferrum College
Location Winston-Salem, NC Ferrum, VA
Setting Midsize City Distant Rural
Enrollment 5,004 855
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #956
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wssu.edu ferrum.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WSSU Ferrum College
Tuition (In State) $3,401 $37,400
Tuition (Out of State) $14,057 $37,400
Room & Board $11,220 $13,230
Avg Net Price $14,097 $25,558
Avg Grant Aid $8,350 $26,580
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 94%

Admission

 WSSU Ferrum College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,628 1,452
Admitted 5,598 1,224
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 84.3%
Enrolled % 15.3% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.01 3.14
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/19
SAT Range 830/1050 900/1110
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 Feb 15, 2025 Sep 15, 2024

Academics

 WSSU Ferrum College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 WSSU Ferrum College
Graduation Rate 41% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,700 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 49%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,663 $28,000
Median Loan Payment $265 $289

Diversity

 WSSU Ferrum College
% Men 24% 58%
% Women 76% 42%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 16% 52%
% Black 72% 34%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 WSSU Ferrum College
% In-State 82% 64%
% Out-of-State 16% 34%

Campus

 WSSU Ferrum College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Winston Salem State University is larger than than Ferrum College based on total student enrollment (5,004 students vs. 855 students)

WSSU vs. Ferrum College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSSU or Ferrum College?

  • Ferrum College is 999.7% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($37,400.00 vs. $3,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 166.1% higher at Ferrum College than Winston Salem State University ($37,400.00 vs. $14,057.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Winston Salem State University than Ferrum College ($14,097 vs. $25,558)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Winston Salem State University are 17.9% lower than costs at Ferrum College ($11,220 vs. $13,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ferrum College than Winston Salem State University (94% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ferrum College students is 218.3% larger than aid received Winston Salem State University ($26,580 vs. $8,350)

WSSU vs. Ferrum College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ferrum College (881) is 11 points higher than at WSSU (870)
  • Incoming WSSU students have at the same average ACT score (18) as students at Ferrum College (18)
  • Accepted freshman Ferrum College students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.14) than students at WSSU (3.01)
  • Ferrum College has a higher acceptance rate (84.3%) than WSSU (73.4%)

WSSU vs. Ferrum College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WSSU or Ferrum College? 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 Ferrum College and WSSU.

  • The graduation rate at WSSU is higher than Ferrum College (41% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Ferrum College earn on average $3,300 more per year than WSSU graduates after ten years. ($39,000 vs. $35,700)
  • Winston Salem State University students graduate with a $2,337 lower median federal student loan debt than Ferrum College graduates. ($25,663 vs. $28,000)
  • WSSU graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than Ferrum College graduates. ($265 vs. $289)
  • More Ferrum College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSSU students, three years after graduation. (49% vs. 33%)

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