WSSU vs. PVAMU

Deciding between Winston Salem State University and Prairie View A & M University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Winston Salem State University
Prairie View A & M University

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • WSSU Winston-Salem, NC
  • PVAMU Prairie View, TX
  • Setting
  • WSSU Midsize City
  • PVAMU Distant Town
  • Total enrollment
  • WSSU 4,782
  • PVAMU 9,922
  • Type
  • WSSU Public 4 Year
  • PVAMU Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • WSSU #940
  • PVAMU #1003
  • Religious Affiliation
  • WSSU -
  • PVAMU -
  • Status
  • WSSU Non-profit
  • PVAMU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • WSSU
  • PVAMU

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • WSSU $6,126
  • PVAMU $11,299
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • WSSU $16,782
  • PVAMU $26,874
  • Room & Board
  • WSSU $11,484
  • PVAMU $10,317
  • Average Net Price
  • WSSU $12,989
  • PVAMU $14,448
  • Average Grant Aid
  • WSSU $10,057
  • PVAMU $15,769
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • WSSU 91%
  • PVAMU 82%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • WSSU 9,108
  • PVAMU 12,936
  • Admitted
  • WSSU 7,128
  • PVAMU 10,259
  • Acceptance Rate
  • WSSU 78.3%
  • PVAMU 79.3%
  • Enrolled
  • WSSU 13.1%
  • PVAMU 18.4%
  • Typical SAT score
  • WSSU 930
  • PVAMU 970
  • Typical ACT score
  • WSSU 17
  • PVAMU 18
  • Average High School GPA
  • WSSU 3.01
  • PVAMU 3.3
  • Typical High School Grades
  • WSSU B
  • PVAMU B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • WSSU Extremely Easy
  • PVAMU Extremely Easy
  • Applicant Competition
  • WSSU
  • PVAMU
  • ACT Range
  • WSSU 15/20
  • PVAMU 16/21
  • SAT Range
  • WSSU 830/1020
  • PVAMU 860/1080
  • Submit Test Scores
  • WSSU Test optional
  • PVAMU Required
  • Application Deadline
  • WSSU Feb 15, 2027
  • PVAMU Mar 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • WSSU 15:1
  • PVAMU 17:1
  • Popular Majors
  • WSSU
    • Health Professions (50%)
    • Business (9%)
    • Education (6%)
    • Social Sciences (5%)
    • Psychology (5%)
  • PVAMU
    • Health Professions (20%)
    • Business (14%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
    • Engineering (10%)
    • General Studies (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • WSSU 41%
  • PVAMU 34%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • WSSU $35,700
  • PVAMU $39,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • WSSU 33%
  • PVAMU 28%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • WSSU $25,663
  • PVAMU $28,955
  • Median Loan Payment
  • WSSU $265
  • PVAMU $299

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • WSSU 26%
  • PVAMU 34%
  • % Women
  • WSSU 74%
  • PVAMU 66%
  • Racial Diversity
  • WSSU Low
  • PVAMU Very Low
  • HBCU
  • WSSU Yes
  • PVAMU Yes
  • % White
  • WSSU 16%
  • PVAMU 3%
  • % Asian
  • WSSU 1%
  • PVAMU 3%
  • % Black
  • WSSU 72%
  • PVAMU 86%
  • % Hispanic
  • WSSU 3%
  • PVAMU 6%
  • % Native American
  • WSSU 1%
  • PVAMU 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • WSSU 0%
  • PVAMU 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • WSSU 4%
  • PVAMU 1%
  • % International
  • WSSU 2%
  • PVAMU 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • WSSU 2%
  • PVAMU 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • WSSU 75%
  • PVAMU 86%
  • % Out-of-State
  • WSSU 24%
  • PVAMU 14%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • WSSU Yes
  • PVAMU Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • WSSU No
  • PVAMU No
  • Meal Plan
  • WSSU Yes
  • PVAMU Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • WSSU Yes
  • PVAMU Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • WSSU No
  • PVAMU No

Comparable Facts

Compare Winston Salem State University in Winston-Salem, NC with Prairie View A & M University in Prairie View, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Prairie View A & M University is larger than WSSU based on total student enrollment (9,922 students vs. 4,782 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Winston Salem State University is located in Winston-Salem, NC (Midsize City setting); Prairie View A & M University is in Prairie View, TX (Distant Town setting).
  • Winston Salem State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Prairie View A & M University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Winston Salem State University 15:1; Prairie View A & M University 17:1.

WSSU vs. PVAMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSSU or PVAMU? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Winston Salem State University than PVAMU ($12,989 vs. $14,448).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Prairie View A & M University are 10.2% lower than at Winston Salem State University ($10,317 vs. $11,484).
  • Prairie View A & M University is 84.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than WSSU (about $5,173 more per year; $11,299.00 vs. $6,126.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 60.1% higher at PVAMU than at Winston Salem State University (about $10,092 more per year; $26,874.00 vs. $16,782.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Winston Salem State University than at Prairie View A & M University (91% vs. 82%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Prairie View A & M University students is 56.8% larger than aid received by Winston Salem State University students ($15,769 vs. $10,057).

WSSU vs. PVAMU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, WSSU or PVAMU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between PVAMU and WSSU.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Prairie View A & M University (970) is 40 points higher than at WSSU (930).
  • Incoming PVAMU students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (18 vs. 17 at WSSU).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Winston Salem State University 830/1020; Prairie View A & M University 860/1080.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Winston Salem State University 15/20; Prairie View A & M University 16/21.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: WSSU - Test optional; PVAMU - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: WSSU Feb 15, 2027; PVAMU Mar 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman PVAMU students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at WSSU (3.01).
  • PVAMU has a higher acceptance rate (79.3%) than WSSU (78.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 13.1% at WSSU vs. 18.4% at PVAMU.

WSSU vs. PVAMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for WSSU and PVAMU? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Winston Salem State University's six-year graduation rate (41%) is higher than Prairie View A & M University's (34%).
  • Graduates from Prairie View A & M University earn a median of about $3,300 more per year than WSSU graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $35,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Winston Salem State University graduates have a $3,292 lower median loan debt than PVAMU graduates ($25,663 vs. $28,955).
  • Among borrowers, WSSU graduates have an estimated $34 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than PVAMU graduates ($265 vs. $299).
  • More WSSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PVAMU students, three years after graduation. (33% vs. 28%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.