Virginia State University

Petersburg, VA · Public · www.vsu.edu/ ↗

Virginia State University is a public college in Petersburg, Virginia, located in a large suburb. It enrolls 5,074 undergraduate degree-seeking students and mostly awards bachelor's degrees. It also offers graduate degrees. It is a historically Black college or university (HBCU). By number of bachelor's degrees awarded, its largest programs are Psychology, General; Criminal Justice and Corrections; and Business Administration, Management and Operations.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Compare with similar schools: Public universities in Virginia · HBCUs in Virginia

Compare its largest majors across colleges: Psychology, General · Criminal Justice and Corrections · Business Administration, Management and Operations

Virginia State University at a glance

Undergraduate enrollment
5,074
Similar schools: 5,632
Average net priceiAverage sticker price minus typical grants and scholarships: the amount most students actually pay out-of-pocket plus loans.
$14,893
Similar schools: $14,226
Admit rateiShare of applicants who get accepted. Lower = more selective.
88.6%
Similar schools: 83.6%
Graduation rate (6 yrs)iShare of full-time students who finished a 4-year degree within 6 years (which is 150% of the standard 4-year time).
37.1%
Similar schools: 51.6%
Median earnings (10 yrs)iMedian earnings of students 10 years after they started college, among those working and not enrolled in further schooling.
$49,358
Similar schools: $59,509
Median debt at graduationiMedian federal student-loan balance carried by students who graduated. Doesn't include Parent PLUS or private loans.
$25,000
Similar schools: $19,500
First-year retentioniShare of first-year students who came back for year two. A baseline measure of student satisfaction.
69.4%
Similar schools: 76.5%

What the data shows about Virginia State University

Comparisons below use the medians for the 595 public schools that mostly award bachelor's degrees in the College Scorecard. Its average net price is $14,893 a year, about the same as the $14,226 median for similar schools. It admits 88.6% of applicants, higher than the 83.6% median. 69.4% of first-time, full-time students return for a second year (similar-school median: 76.5%). 37.1% of full-time students finish a four-year degree within six years, lower than the 51.6% median. Ten years after enrolling, former students who are working earn a median of $49,358, lower than the $59,509 median for similar schools. Graduates leave with a median of $25,000 in federal student loans (similar-school median: $19,500).