Match #1
Norfolk State University
Norfolk, VA
Profile closeness95/100
Admit rate88%
- 5,392 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 35%, close to 37%
- Enrollment 5,392 students, close to 5,074
The colleges most similar to Virginia State University are Norfolk State University, Fayetteville State University, and Bowie State University. Virginia State University admits 89% of applicants and has an average net price of $14,893 a year; 7 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 3 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with Virginia State University. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to Virginia State University
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville, NC
Profile closeness90/100
Admit rate82%
- 5,762 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 37%, close to 37%
- Enrollment 5,762 students, close to 5,074
Match #3
Bowie State University
Bowie, MD
Profile closeness89/100
Admit rate72%
- 5,043 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Graduation rate 37%, close to 37%
- Enrollment 5,043 students, close to 5,074
Match #4
North Carolina Central University
Durham, NC
Profile closeness85/100
Admit rate87%
- 6,081 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Enrollment 6,081 students, close to 5,074
- Acceptance rate 87%, close to 89%
Match #5
Morgan State University
Baltimore, MD
Profile closeness80/100
Admit rate82%
- 9,019 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 42%, close to 37%
- Average net price $14,653, close to $14,893
Match #6
Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem, NC
Profile closeness80/100
Admit rate78%
- 4,170 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Enrollment 4,170 students, close to 5,074
- Average net price $12,817, close to $14,893
Match #7
West Virginia State University
Institute, WV
Profile closeness77/100
Admit rate96%
- 1,321 students
- Public
- Suburb: Midsize
- Graduation rate 36%, close to 37%
- Average net price $13,624, close to $14,893
Match #8
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Princess Anne, MD
Profile closeness77/100
Admit rate96%
- 2,391 students
- Public
- Town: Fringe
- Graduation rate 35%, close to 37%
- Acceptance rate 96%, close to 89%
Match #9
Bluefield State College-West Virginia
Bluefield, WV
Profile closeness64/100
Admit rate97%
- 1,042 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Graduation rate 34%, close to 37%
- Acceptance rate 97%, close to 89%
Match #10
Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City, NC
Profile closeness60/100
Admit rate64%
- 1,975 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Same control type (public)
Questions about Virginia State University alternatives
What colleges are similar to Virginia State University?
The closest matches to Virginia State University are Norfolk State University, Fayetteville State University, Bowie State University, North Carolina Central University, and Morgan State University. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is Virginia State University hard to get into?
Virginia State University admitted 89% of its 9,978 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 3 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which Virginia State University alternatives cost less?
7 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than Virginia State University ($14,893 a year), including Elizabeth City State University ($8,048), Fayetteville State University ($8,500), and Bluefield State College-West Virginia ($11,130). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
