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Virginia State University

Virginia State University

Petersburg, VA · Suburb · 5,074 students
WebsiteScorecard
Application deadlines: Check the admissions site
$15,840
Average net priceYour net price
In-state · 2023-24
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
40%
Graduation rate
Entered fall 2017 & 2018
52% typical
$45,543
Earnings 10 years on
Measured 2020 & 2021
$51,562 typical
89%
Acceptance rate
Applied for fall 2024
81% typical · not scored
Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
About

Founded in 1882 as the nation’s first fully state-supported four-year public HBCU, Virginia State University is a historic land-grant institution renowned for its legacy of academic access, leadership, and community empowerment. Academically, the university is best known for strong programs in agriculture, engineering, education, and business, the latter housed within the AACSB-accredited Reginald F. Lewis College of Business. Campus culture is driven by vibrant "Trojan Pride," characterized by a close-knit, family-like atmosphere, active Divine Nine Greek life, and the dynamic performances of the Trojan Explosion Marching Band. A distinctive hallmark of VSU is its expansive 416-acre Randolph Farm, which serves as a premier research hub for sustainable agriculture, small-scale farming innovations, and statewide community extension services.

Wikipedia:Virginia State University is a public historically Black land-grant university in Ettrick and Colonial Heights, Virginia, United States. Founded on March 6, 1882 , Virginia State developed as the United States's first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for Black Americans. The university is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

Location
Petersburg, VA, 23806 · Suburb campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
RIC · Richmond
19 mi away
Open in Google Maps
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
These figures are federal data and may be out of date.
In-stateOut-of-state
Tuition & fees$10,043$22,650
Housing & food (on campus)$13,355$13,355
Books & supplies$1,300$1,300
Cost of attendance$27,661$40,268 est.
Average net price$15,840Not published
Out-of-state prices
Tuition & fees$22,650
In-state: $10,043
Housing & food (on campus)$13,355
Books & supplies$1,300
Cost of attendance$40,268 est.
In-state: $27,661
Average net priceNot published
In-state: $15,840
est. = the in-state cost of attendance with out-of-state tuition swapped in; no out-of-state figure is published.
Net price by family income · in-state students, 2023-24
$0–30k
$13,220
$30–48k
$14,758
$48–75k
$19,463
$75–110k
$22,223
$110k+
$25,508
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
40%
Entered 2017–18
Within 4 yrs
24%
Back for yr 2
69%
Transferred
0%
8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students
44% graduated · 29% transferred · 1% still enrolled · 26% left or unknown
Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021
6 yrs after entry$33,630
10 yrs after entry$45,543
Debt
Median at graduation$26,500
Monthly payment$281
Middle 50% owe$8.7k–$31k
90th percentile$41,017
Admissions
Getting in · applied for fall 2024
Admit rate
89%
Test policy
Test optional
Per College Scorecard
SAT average
948
R 440–550 · M 400–520
ACT midpoint
18
Comp 14–20
SAT middle 50%: 840–1070
40080012001600

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Essay prompts

If Virginia State University asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the school's application.

Student Body
Gender
Men 41%Women 59%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
13 : 1
Pell grant
72%
First-gen
34%
Family income
$30,103
Independent
14%
Age at entry
20.0
Part-time
4%
Race & ethnicity
White
2%
Hispanic
6%
Black
83%
Two or more
5%
Non-resident
1%
Unknown
2%
Varsity sports
NCAA Division II with football · EADA 2024-25
  • Baseball
    Men's
  • Basketball
    Men's · Women's
  • Bowling
    Women's
  • Football
    Men's
  • Golf
    Men's
  • Lacrosse
    Men's · Women's
  • Soccer
    Men's · Women's
  • Softball
    Women's
  • Tennis
    Men's · Women's
  • Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
    Men's · Women's
  • Volleyball
    Women's
Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021
After 6 yrs
$33,630
After 10 yrs
$45,543
Psychology, General76
Criminal Justice and Corrections68
Business Administration, Management and Operations51
Communication and Media Studies49
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas41
Biology, General29
Computer Science27
Political Science and Government24
Marketing22
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians20
Social Work20
Accounting and Related Services18
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other17
Sociology15
Agriculture, General14
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities14
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$96M
Full-time faculty
65%
Faculty salary
$9,469/mo
Teaching spend
$15,660
per student
Federal loans
76%
Classification
Carnegie type
Master's (medium programs)
Research activity
Research college or university
$13M research spending · 19 research doctorates a year
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, inclusive admissions

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