WSSU vs. NSU

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

 WSSU NSU
Location Winston-Salem, NC Norfolk, VA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 5,004 5,783
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #956 #1008
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wssu.edu nsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WSSU NSU
Tuition (In State) $3,401 $5,752
Tuition (Out of State) $14,057 $16,920
Room & Board $11,220 $10,844
Avg Net Price $14,097 $14,652
Avg Grant Aid $8,350 $12,164
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 91%

Admission

 WSSU NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,628 8,884
Admitted 5,598 7,951
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 89.5%
Enrolled % 15.3% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.01 2.9
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/19 15/20
SAT Range 830/1050 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 Feb 15, 2025 May 31, 2025

Academics

 WSSU NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 WSSU NSU
Graduation Rate 41% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,700 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,663 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $265 $320

Diversity

 WSSU NSU
% Men 24% 33%
% Women 76% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU Yes Yes
% White 16% 5%
% Black 72% 84%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 WSSU NSU
% In-State 82% 65%
% Out-of-State 16% 31%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Norfolk State University is larger than than WSSU based on total student enrollment (5,783 students vs. 5,004 students)

WSSU vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSSU or NSU?

  • Norfolk State University is 69.1% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($5,752.00 vs. $3,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.4% higher at NSU than Winston Salem State University ($16,920.00 vs. $14,057.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Winston Salem State University than NSU ($14,097 vs. $14,652)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Norfolk State University are 3.5% lower than costs at Winston Salem State University ($10,844 vs. $11,220)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Norfolk State University than Winston Salem State University (91% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Norfolk State University students is 45.7% larger than aid received Winston Salem State University ($12,164 vs. $8,350)

WSSU vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Winston Salem State University (870) is 62 points higher than at NSU (808)
  • Incoming WSSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (18) than students at NSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman WSSU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.01) than students at NSU (2.9)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than WSSU (73.4%)

WSSU vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WSSU 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 WSSU.

  • The graduation rate at WSSU is higher than Norfolk State University (41% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Norfolk State University earn on average $1,000 more per year than WSSU graduates after ten years. ($36,700 vs. $35,700)
  • Winston Salem State University students graduate with a $5,337 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($25,663 vs. $31,000)
  • WSSU graduates are paying $55 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($265 vs. $320)
  • More WSSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (33% vs. 27%)

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