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North Carolina Central University Old Dominion NCAT Longwood University Fayetteville State University JMU UNCG VSU ECSU Wake Forest Virginia Tech VCU| Winston Salem State University | Radford University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
WSSU | RU | ||
| Location | Winston-Salem, NC | Radford, VA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 4,776 | 7,531 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #953 | #449 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wssu.edu | radford.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WSSU | RU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $3,401 | $8,401 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $14,057 | $20,853 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,484 | $11,973 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $12,948 | $18,282 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,254 | $8,968 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 88% | 99% |
Admission |
WSSU | RU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 9,273 | 11,072 | ||
| Admitted | 6,357 | 10,036 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 68.6% | 90.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.9% | 11% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.01 | 3.31 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 14/18 | 19/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 820/1050 | 950/1170 | ||
| 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, 2026 |
Academics |
WSSU | RU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 12:1 | ||
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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 | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 19% | ||
| 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 | 77% | 88% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 22% | 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 (7,531 students vs. 4,776 students)
WSSU vs. RU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WSSU or RU?
- Radford University is 147% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($8,401.00 vs. $3,401.00)
- Out of state tuition is 48.3% higher at RU than Winston Salem State University ($20,853.00 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 ($12,948 vs. $18,282)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Winston Salem State University are 4.3% lower than costs at Radford University ($11,484 vs. $11,973)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Radford University than Winston Salem State University (99% vs. 88%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Winston Salem State University students is 3.2% larger than aid received Radford University ($9,254 vs. $8,968)
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 (90.6%) than WSSU (68.6%)
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/