WSSU vs. RU

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

WSSU RU
Location Winston-Salem, NC Radford, VA
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 5,004 7,718
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #956 #566
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wssu.edu radford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WSSU RU
Tuition (In State) $3,401 $8,156
Tuition (Out of State) $14,057 $20,246
Room & Board $11,220 $10,567
Avg Net Price $14,097 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $8,350 $9,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 96%

Admission

WSSU RU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,628 11,442
Admitted 5,598 10,680
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 93.3%
Enrolled % 15.3% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.01 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/19 19/23
SAT Range 830/1050 960/1160
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

Academics

WSSU RU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

WSSU RU
Graduation Rate 41% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,700 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,663 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $265 $237

Diversity

WSSU RU
% Men 24% 33%
% Women 76% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 16% 71%
% Black 72% 13%
% Hispanic 3% 7%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

WSSU RU
% In-State 82% 89%
% Out-of-State 16% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Radford University is larger than than WSSU based on total student enrollment (7,718 students vs. 5,004 students)

WSSU vs. RU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSSU or RU?

  • Radford University is 139.8% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($8,156.00 vs. $3,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44% higher at RU than Winston Salem State University ($20,246.00 vs. $14,057.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Winston Salem State University than RU ($14,097 vs. $17,105)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Radford University are 6.2% lower than costs at Winston Salem State University ($10,567 vs. $11,220)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Radford University than Winston Salem State University (96% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Radford University students is 16.6% larger than aid received Winston Salem State University ($9,733 vs. $8,350)

WSSU vs. RU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman RU students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at WSSU (3.01)
  • RU has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than WSSU (73.4%)

WSSU vs. RU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WSSU or RU? 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 RU and WSSU.

  • The graduation rate at RU is higher than Winston Salem State University (56% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $11,700 more per year than WSSU graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $35,700)
  • Radford University students graduate with a $2,663 lower median federal student loan debt than WSSU graduates. ($23,000 vs. $25,663)
  • RU graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than WSSU graduates. ($237 vs. $265)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSSU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 33%)

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