Criminal justice
Ranked #349 of 379 for valueCriminal Justice and Corrections · 56 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $48,624
- Ranked-college median: $55,481
- Median debt
- $25,751
- Ranked-college median: $21,500
Virginia State University acceptance rate
Acceptance rate: 88.6% (fall admissions, CollegesRef 2026–27 edition). 9,587 of 9,978 applicants were admitted. Middle 50% test scores: SAT Reading & Writing 440–550, SAT Math 400–520, ACT 14–20. Admissions details
What we know
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025- Students
- 5,074
Larger than 78% of colleges
National median 1,603
Virginia State UniversityMiddle half of collegesNational median
Designations: Historically Black college or university(U.S. College Scorecard · 2025)
Check at the source
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Five questions match you to a college identity, then show where Virginia State University sits for you.
Take the fit quizAdmissions
Virginia State University admitted 88.6% of 9,978 applicants.
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
- Applicants9,978
88.6% of applicants were admitted
- Admitted9,587
9.5% of admitted students enrolled (yield)
- Enrolled (first-year)913
Middle 50% test scores
- SAT Reading & Writing
- 440–550
- 200800
- SAT Math
- 400–520
- 200800
- ACT Composite
- 14–20
- 136
Your chances
Check your chancesYour SAT or ACT against Virginia State University- SAT, middle 50%
- 840–1070
- ACT, middle 50%
- 14–20
Cost & financial aid
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
Average net price
$14,893
What students paid per year on average after grants and scholarships. Your price depends on family income.
Published price vs. what students paid
- In-state tuition & fees
- $10,418
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $23,404
- Average net price
- $14,893
Students receiving Pell Grants
- Pell Grant recipients
- 75.2%
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- Can I afford it?Loan payment against what its graduates earn
- How much can I borrow?Federal loan limits and what is left to cover
- Will I get a Pell Grant?Estimate this year's award from your SAI
- What would I repay?Monthly payments on $27,000 of loans
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A PDF that applies the 2026–27 federal aid rules to you and up to three colleges: Pell Grant, loan limits, the gap left and repayment.
Start with the Pell Grant estimator See a sample reportOutcomes
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
37.1%
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
69.4%
First-year retention
Students who return for a second year
Median earnings
$49,358
Former students who received federal aid
Programs at Virginia State University
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard, field of study, 2025
Bachelor's majors where Virginia State University is ranked in CollegesRef's value rankings. Earnings are medians 4 years after graduating, for graduates who received federal aid; the tick on each bar marks the median of all ranked colleges in that field.
Education
Ranked #359 of 521 for valueTeacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas · 47 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $48,362
- Ranked-college median: $48,822
- Median debt
- $26,000
- Ranked-college median: $21,500
Communications
Ranked #380 of 388 for valueCommunication and Media Studies · 45 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $40,896
- Ranked-college median: $56,130
- Median debt
- $25,000
- Ranked-college median: $19,593
Political science
Ranked #381 of 388 for valuePolitical Science and Government · 24 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $44,002
- Ranked-college median: $63,181
- Median debt
- $25,000
- Ranked-college median: $19,500
Biology
Ranked #516 of 680 for valueBiology, General · 46 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $53,398
- Ranked-college median: $58,001
- Median debt
- $21,875
- Ranked-college median: $20,717
Psychology
Ranked #790 of 814 for valuePsychology, General · 71 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $37,861
- Ranked-college median: $51,007
- Median debt
- $25,138
- Ranked-college median: $21,000
Business
Ranked #926 of 986 for valueBusiness Administration, Management and Operations · 52 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $49,764
- Ranked-college median: $64,860
- Median debt
- $25,500
- Ranked-college median: $21,375
Academics
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
Total students
5,074
Academic calendar
Semester
Carnegie classification
Master's university
A College or University that also has a medium number of Master’s Degree programs.
Colleges like Virginia State University
- Norfolk State UniversityNorfolk, VA
- Fayetteville State UniversityFayetteville, NC
- Bowie State UniversityBowie, MD
Location & details
Where the campus is, how far it sits from a major city, and other colleges within reach.
Virginia State UniversityPetersburg, VA, United States
Distances are straight-line miles, not driving distance. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, tiles by OpenFreeMap and OpenMapTiles.
Campus
Virginia State University
Petersburg, VA, United States
- Public
- Master's university
Large suburb
Inside an urbanized area but outside a principal city.
- City
- Suburb (this campus)
- Town
- Rural
Nearest major cityRichmond, VA · about 21 mi
In the city250 mi
- Calendar
- Semester
- Website
- vsu.edu
Colleges nearby
Richard Bland College5.5 miSouth Prince George- Brightpoint Community College7.7 miChester
Virginia Commonwealth University21.8 miRichmond
Virginia Union University22.7 miRichmond- Fortis College-Richmond24.3 miRichmond
University of Richmond24.6 miUniversity of Richmond
Colleges nearby
- Richard Bland College6 mi from Virginia State University
- Brightpoint Community College8 mi from Virginia State University
- Virginia Commonwealth University22 mi from Virginia State University
- Virginia Union University23 mi from Virginia State University
Still have a question?
Ask about admissions, cost or campus life at Virginia State University. Answers come from CollegesRef data.
Ask CollegesRefSpecial features
What sets this college apart, grouped by theme, each with what it means and the data or editorial tag behind it.
CollegesRef editorial
Cost & aid
Affordable
Lower cost than many comparable colleges for a typical family.
Average net price $14,893 a year after aid
Athletics
NCAA Division II · Competitive sports with partial scholarships and smaller programs.
- D-INCAA Division I
- D-IINCAA Division II (this college)
- D-IIINCAA Division III
- NAIANAIA
- NJCAANJCAA
Mission & community
HBCU
Historically Black college or university.
CollegesRef editorial tag
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Admit rate, net price and outcomes for Virginia State University and Norfolk State University, side by side.
Compare with Norfolk State UniversityFrequently asked questions
What is the Virginia State University acceptance rate for 2026?
Virginia State University admitted 88.6% of 9,978 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, the most recent release. That is the figure colleges report to the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
How much is Virginia State University tuition?
In-state tuition at Virginia State University is $10,418 and out-of-state tuition is $23,404 a year before financial aid in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition. The average net price after grants is $14,893 a year.
What is the average net price at Virginia State University?
The average net price at Virginia State University, what first-time, full-time students paid after grants and scholarships, was $14,893 a year in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition. Your own price depends on family income; the college's net price calculator gives a personal estimate.
What is the graduation rate at Virginia State University?
37.1% of first-time, full-time students at Virginia State University graduate within six years (150% of normal time), according to the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
What colleges are similar to Virginia State University?
The closest matches are Norfolk State University, Fayetteville State University, and Bowie State University, based on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile.
Sources
Last checked Nov 3, 2026
- Admissions
- U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
- Cost
- U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
- Outcomes
- U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
- Enrollment
- U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
Figures come from federal reporting. Text marked “CollegesRef editorial” is our own summary, and similar-college lists come from CollegesRef matching. How we source data
