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Basic Information

Type Public
Geographical Reach Regional
Location Petersburg, VA
Population 500,000
Website http://www.vsu.edu/
Map of the United States

Weather

Comfortable Days 115 (84%)
Sunshine Hours 2,615 (51%)
Days Without Precipitation 255 (64%)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 5,141
Men / Women 42% / 58%
From State 68%
From Region 10%
Athletes 10.5%

Racial/Ethnic

Black 83%
Hispanic 6%
Mixed 5%
White 2%
International 1%
Native American 0%
Asian 0%

Men in the Entering Class

Men
0% 12% 24% 36% 48% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 38.4% 38.4% 2012 Men: 38.2% 38.2% 2013 Men: 37.1% 37.1% 2014 Men: 41.5% 41.5% 2015 Men: 44.7% 44.7% 2016 Men: 41.6% 41.6% 2017 Men: 39.0% 39.0% 2018 Men: 38.9% 38.9% 2019 Men: 40.9% 40.9% 2020 Men: 37.8% 37.8% 2021 Men: 36.6% 36.6% 2022 Men: 41.2% 41.2% 2023 Men: 39.8% 39.8% 2024 Men: 41.2% 41.2%

Entering Class by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2012 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2013 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2014 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2015 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2016 Native: 0.5% 0.5% 2017 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2018 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2019 Native: 0.8% 0.8% 2020 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2021 Native: 0.5% 0.5% 2022 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2023 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2024 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2011 Asian: 0.1% 0.1% 2012 Asian: 0.1% 0.1% 2013 Asian: 0.2% 0.2% 2014 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2015 Asian: 0.2% 0.2% 2016 Asian: 0.3% 0.3% 2017 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2018 Asian: 0.2% 0.2% 2019 Asian: 0.7% 0.7% 2020 Asian: 1.1% 1.1% 2021 Asian: 0.4% 0.4% 2022 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2023 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2024 Asian: 0.4% 0.4% 2011 Black: 92.2% 92.2% 2012 Black: 95.9% 95.9% 2013 Black: 95.4% 95.4% 2014 Black: 94.1% 94.1% 2015 Black: 92.7% 92.7% 2016 Black: 89.2% 89.2% 2017 Black: 86.4% 86.4% 2018 Black: 86.9% 86.9% 2019 Black: 90.0% 90.0% 2020 Black: 90.8% 90.8% 2021 Black: 92.8% 92.8% 2022 Black: 38.1% 38.1% 2023 Black: 1.2% 1.2% 2024 Black: 85.6% 85.6% 2011 Hispanic: 1.2% 1.2% 2012 Hispanic: 0.2% 0.2% 2013 Hispanic: 0.6% 0.6% 2014 Hispanic: 0.0% 0.0% 2015 Hispanic: 1.3% 1.3% 2016 Hispanic: 1.9% 1.9% 2017 Hispanic: 2.0% 2.0% 2018 Hispanic: 1.3% 1.3% 2019 Hispanic: 3.2% 3.2% 2020 Hispanic: 2.5% 2.5% 2021 Hispanic: 1.7% 1.7% 2022 Hispanic: 0.0% 0.0% 2023 Hispanic: 0.0% 0.0% 2024 Hispanic: 3.3% 3.3% 2011 White: 0.9% 0.9% 2012 White: 0.6% 0.6% 2013 White: 0.8% 0.8% 2014 White: 1.7% 1.7% 2015 White: 1.1% 1.1% 2016 White: 1.2% 1.2% 2017 White: 2.0% 2.0% 2018 White: 1.0% 1.0% 2019 White: 0.7% 0.7% 2020 White: 1.5% 1.5% 2021 White: 1.7% 1.7% 2022 White: 0.2% 0.2% 2023 White: 0.0% 0.0% 2024 White: 1.3% 1.3% 2011 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2012 International: 0.1% 0.1% 2013 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2014 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2015 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2016 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2017 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2018 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2019 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2020 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2021 International: 0.1% 0.1% 2022 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2023 International: 0.5% 0.5% 2024 International: 0.5% 0.5%

Share of the full-time first-time degree-seeking cohort. Groups IPEDS reports separately — two or more races, and race unknown — are left out, so the lines don't sum to 100%.

Enrolled Undergraduates by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2020 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2021 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2022 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2023 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2024 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2025 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2020 Asian: 0.4% 0.4% 2021 Asian: 0.4% 0.4% 2022 Asian: 0.3% 0.3% 2023 Asian: 0.3% 0.3% 2024 Asian: 0.2% 0.2% 2025 Asian: 0.3% 0.3% 2020 Black: 94.1% 94.1% 2021 Black: 94.7% 94.7% 2022 Black: 93.9% 93.9% 2023 Black: 91.7% 91.7% 2024 Black: 92.4% 92.4% 2025 Black: 83.2% 83.2% 2020 Hispanic: 0.1% 0.1% 2021 Hispanic: 0.0% 0.0% 2022 Hispanic: 0.1% 0.1% 2023 Hispanic: 1.4% 1.4% 2024 Hispanic: 0.3% 0.3% 2025 Hispanic: 6.1% 6.1% 2020 White: 2.7% 2.7% 2021 White: 2.4% 2.4% 2022 White: 2.3% 2.3% 2023 White: 1.9% 1.9% 2024 White: 2.7% 2.7% 2025 White: 1.8% 1.8% 2020 International: 0.6% 0.6% 2021 International: 0.8% 0.8% 2022 International: 0.4% 0.4% 2023 International: 0.5% 0.5% 2024 International: 0.7% 0.7% 2025 International: 1.0% 1.0%

Share of all full-time degree-seeking undergraduates, not just the entering class. Same excluded groups as above.

IPEDS Admissions (2011–2024), Graduation Rates (2011–2024) and 12-month Enrollment (2020–2025) surveys. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Schools & Majors

⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Agriculture 28 32% / 68% 0% $47,766 38 100%
Agriculture 28 — 32% / 68% 0% $47,766 38 100%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Education and Human Development 87 44% / 56% 0% $43,908 27 96%
Consumer Sciences 19 — 21% / 79% 0% $45,630 32 100%
Elementary Education 6 — 0% / 100% 0% $46,627 35 —
Middle School Education 2 — 0% / 100% 0% $46,901 36 —
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 57 — 58% / 42% 0% $42,707 23 94%
Special Education 3 — 33% / 67% 0% $48,396 40 —
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Engineering and Technology 78 77% / 23% 4% $90,773 95 94%
Computer Engineering 7 — 86% / 14% 0% $104,328 98 —
Manufacturing Engineering 6 — 50% / 50% 0% $84,393 93 —
Computer Science 27 — 78% / 22% 0% $104,413 98 —
Electronic Engineering Technology 5 — 80% / 20% 0% $79,519 90 —
Industrial Technology 10 — 60% / 40% 0% $80,645 90 —
Mechanical Engineering Technology 23 — 87% / 13% 13% $79,151 89 94%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Humanities and Social Sciences 264 31% / 69% 1% $45,847 32 91%
English 5 — 0% / 100% 0% $44,514 28 —
General Education 3 — 33% / 67% 0% — — —
History 7 — 29% / 71% 0% $47,045 36 —
Interdisciplinary Studies 41 — 39% / 61% 2% $48,388 40 —
Mass Communication 53 — 49% / 51% 0% $45,864 33 82%
Political Science 17 — 53% / 47% 0% $43,182 25 100%
Social Work 29 — 10% / 90% 0% $50,490 46 89%
Sociology 12 — 8% / 92% 0% $39,678 16 100%
Fine Arts 13 — 46% / 54% 0% $40,703 18 —
Music Performance 14 — 64% / 36% 0% $40,923 19 —
Criminal Justice 70 — 14% / 86% 1% $46,046 33 94%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Natural and Health Sciences 115 21% / 79% 0% $52,916 53 96%
Chemistry 6 — 17% / 83% 0% $53,708 55 —
Mathematics 2 — 50% / 50% 0% $58,117 65 —
Biology 38 — 26% / 74% 0% $52,193 51 94%
Nursing 5 — 0% / 100% 0% $81,141 91 —
Psychology 64 — 19% / 81% 0% $50,904 48 98%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Reginald F. Lewis College of Business 130 47% / 53% 1% $55,577 60 98%
Accounting 17 — 41% / 59% 0% $70,822 83 100%
Business Administration 62 — 47% / 53% 2% $48,696 41 99%
Hospitality Management 6 — 50% / 50% 0% $55,263 59 100%
Management Information Systems 14 — 71% / 29% 0% $71,172 83 96%
Managerial Economics 4 — 50% / 50% 0% $63,728 75 —
Marketing 27 — 37% / 63% 0% $52,556 52 95%

Financial

In-State Tuition & Fees $10,551
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees $24,096
Est. In-State Cost $13,649
Est. Out-of-State Cost $31,171
ROI Percentile 55th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 69%
4-Year Graduation Rate 24%
6-Year Graduation Rate 39%
Transfer-Out Rate 0%

Six-Year Graduation Rate

Graduated
0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Graduated: 38.0% 38.0% 2012 Graduated: 41.9% 41.9% 2013 Graduated: 40.3% 40.3% 2014 Graduated: 42.5% 42.5% 2015 Graduated: 48.1% 48.1% 2016 Graduated: 44.0% 44.0% 2017 Graduated: 42.1% 42.1% 2018 Graduated: 39.2% 39.2% 2019 Graduated: 38.5% 38.5% 2020 Graduated: 46.2% 46.2% 2021 Graduated: 47.8% 47.8% 2022 Graduated: 37.9% 37.9% 2023 Graduated: 40.7% 40.7% 2024 Graduated: 39.4% 39.4%

Students finishing within 150% of normal time. Each year labels the cohort that entered six years earlier — 2024 tracks the class that started in 2018.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Gender

Men Women
0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 31.9% 31.9% 2012 Men: 39.2% 39.2% 2013 Men: 39.1% 39.1% 2014 Men: 36.7% 36.7% 2015 Men: 45.8% 45.8% 2016 Men: 35.6% 35.6% 2017 Men: 37.1% 37.1% 2018 Men: 34.6% 34.6% 2019 Men: 34.1% 34.1% 2020 Men: 42.2% 42.2% 2021 Men: 41.4% 41.4% 2022 Men: 35.0% 35.0% 2023 Men: 34.1% 34.1% 2024 Men: 34.4% 34.4% 2011 Women: 41.2% 41.2% 2012 Women: 43.5% 43.5% 2013 Women: 41.0% 41.0% 2014 Women: 45.9% 45.9% 2015 Women: 49.3% 49.3% 2016 Women: 49.0% 49.0% 2017 Women: 45.2% 45.2% 2018 Women: 41.9% 41.9% 2019 Women: 41.3% 41.3% 2020 Women: 49.1% 49.1% 2021 Women: 53.0% 53.0% 2022 Women: 39.9% 39.9% 2023 Women: 44.9% 44.9% 2024 Women: 42.6% 42.6%

IPEDS reports the cohort as men and women only.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity

Black
0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Black: 39.5% 39.5% 2012 Black: 43.0% 43.0% 2013 Black: 40.7% 40.7% 2014 Black: 43.0% 43.0% 2015 Black: 49.2% 49.2% 2016 Black: 44.6% 44.6% 2017 Black: 42.8% 42.8% 2018 Black: 39.0% 39.0% 2019 Black: 38.9% 38.9% 2020 Black: 45.9% 45.9% 2021 Black: 48.8% 48.8% 2022 Black: 28.1% 28.1% 2023 Black: 46.2% 46.2% 2024 Black: 38.9% 38.9%

Each group's completers over its own share of the entering cohort. Groups making up less than 2% of everyone this college graduated over the period are left off — their rates swing on a handful of students and read as noise.

IPEDS Graduation Rates survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Humanities & Social Sciences 32.9% 231 30% / 70% 0% $47,802 38 92%
Business & Economics 21.2% 149 44% / 56% 1% $54,309 57 98%
Professional 15.4% 108 37% / 63% 4% $57,849 65 94%
Education 9.7% 68 50% / 50% 0% $43,427 26 94%
Life & Natural Sciences 5.4% 38 26% / 74% 0% $52,193 51 94%
Agriculture & Food Science 4.0% 28 32% / 68% 0% $47,766 38 100%
Arts 3.8% 27 56% / 44% 0% $40,817 19 —
Computer Science 3.8% 27 78% / 22% 0% $104,413 98 —
Engineering 1.9% 13 69% / 31% 0% $95,127 97 —
Physical Sciences & Math 1.1% 8 25% / 75% 0% $54,810 58 —
Health Sciences 0.7% 5 0% / 100% 0% $81,141 91 —

Research R2

⇅ Research $ Rank Federal Industry $ PhDs Rank PhD students Postdocs
Agriculture & Food Science $8.7M #78 41% $0 — — — —
Engineering $2.2M #244 55% $0 — — — —
Education $0.9M #244 65% $0 17 #245 — —
Humanities & Social Sciences $0.4M #404 100% $0 2 #308 16 —
Physical Sciences & Math $0.4M #462 100% $0 — — — —
Life & Natural Sciences $0.2M #477 97% $0 — — — —
Computer Science $0.2M #362 0% $0 — — — —
Health Sciences $0.0M #395 100% $0 — — — —
Business & Economics $0 #456 — $0 — — — —
Total $13.0M #286 49% $0 19 #388 16 —

Expenditure and funding source: NSF HERD, FY2024. Degrees: IPEDS completions, 2023–24. Students and postdocs: NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates, fall 2024, which covers science, engineering and selected health fields only. An em dash means the source does not report the figure, which is not the same as zero.

Admissions

Uses Common App No
Acceptance Rate 96%
Yield (Unbound) 14%
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 96% 96% 96%

Acceptance & Yield

Acceptance Yield
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Acceptance: 57.8% 57.8% 2012 Acceptance: 83.7% 83.7% 2013 Acceptance: 94.6% 94.6% 2014 Acceptance: 80.1% 80.1% 2015 Acceptance: 77.0% 77.0% 2016 Acceptance: 94.5% 94.5% 2017 Acceptance: 91.1% 91.1% 2018 Acceptance: 91.1% 91.1% 2019 Acceptance: 95.0% 95.0% 2020 Acceptance: 96.3% 96.3% 2021 Acceptance: 96.1% 96.1% 2022 Acceptance: 89.7% 89.7% 2023 Acceptance: 89.1% 89.1% 2024 Acceptance: 88.6% 88.6% 2011 Yield: 29.3% 29.3% 2012 Yield: 24.0% 24.0% 2013 Yield: 23.0% 23.0% 2014 Yield: 19.1% 19.1% 2015 Yield: 14.9% 14.9% 2016 Yield: 18.9% 18.9% 2017 Yield: 19.9% 19.9% 2018 Yield: 14.6% 14.6% 2019 Yield: 14.5% 14.5% 2020 Yield: 9.3% 9.3% 2021 Yield: 9.6% 9.6% 2022 Yield: 18.7% 18.7% 2023 Yield: 15.4% 15.4% 2024 Yield: 14.3% 14.3%

Applicants, Admitted & Enrolled

Applicants Admitted Enrolled
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Applicants: 7,450 7,450 2012 Applicants: 6,151 6,151 2013 Applicants: 5,729 5,729 2014 Applicants: 5,923 5,923 2015 Applicants: 6,650 6,650 2016 Applicants: 5,722 5,722 2017 Applicants: 6,307 6,307 2018 Applicants: 7,007 7,007 2019 Applicants: 7,715 7,715 2020 Applicants: 9,912 9,912 2021 Applicants: 9,978 9,978 2022 Applicants: 8,230 8,230 2023 Applicants: 10,577 10,577 2024 Applicants: 11,775 11,775 2011 Admitted: 4,303 4,303 2012 Admitted: 5,148 5,148 2013 Admitted: 5,419 5,419 2014 Admitted: 4,742 4,742 2015 Admitted: 5,119 5,119 2016 Admitted: 5,406 5,406 2017 Admitted: 5,746 5,746 2018 Admitted: 6,383 6,383 2019 Admitted: 7,333 7,333 2020 Admitted: 9,541 9,541 2021 Admitted: 9,587 9,587 2022 Admitted: 7,384 7,384 2023 Admitted: 9,424 9,424 2024 Admitted: 10,436 10,436 2011 Enrolled: 1,259 1,259 2012 Enrolled: 1,234 1,234 2013 Enrolled: 1,244 1,244 2014 Enrolled: 907 907 2015 Enrolled: 765 765 2016 Enrolled: 1,024 1,024 2017 Enrolled: 1,145 1,145 2018 Enrolled: 930 930 2019 Enrolled: 1,066 1,066 2020 Enrolled: 889 889 2021 Enrolled: 920 920 2022 Enrolled: 1,382 1,382 2023 Enrolled: 1,448 1,448 2024 Enrolled: 1,489 1,489

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional
Submitted Test Scores 11%
SAT Range 840 – 1070
SAT Math Range 400 – 520
SAT RW Range 440 – 550

SAT Composite

25th 75th
700 800 900 1000 1100 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 780 780 2012 25th: 780 780 2013 25th: 730 730 2014 25th: 760 760 2015 25th: 770 770 2016 25th: 730 730 2017 25th: 820 820 2018 25th: 840 840 2019 25th: 830 830 2020 25th: 820 820 2021 25th: 830 830 2022 25th: 830 830 2023 25th: 800 800 2024 25th: 840 840 2011 75th: 930 930 2012 75th: 920 920 2013 75th: 895 895 2014 75th: 920 920 2015 75th: 940 940 2016 75th: 900 900 2017 75th: 1010 1010 2018 75th: 1010 1010 2019 75th: 1010 1010 2020 75th: 1000 1000 2021 75th: 1040 1040 2022 75th: 1030 1030 2023 75th: 1050 1050 2024 75th: 1070 1070

SAT Math

25th 75th
350 400 450 500 550 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 390 390 2012 25th: 390 390 2013 25th: 360 360 2014 25th: 380 380 2015 25th: 380 380 2016 25th: 360 360 2017 25th: 400 400 2018 25th: 410 410 2019 25th: 400 400 2020 25th: 400 400 2021 25th: 400 400 2022 25th: 400 400 2023 25th: 380 380 2024 25th: 400 400 2011 75th: 470 470 2012 75th: 460 460 2013 75th: 445 445 2014 75th: 460 460 2015 75th: 460 460 2016 75th: 450 450 2017 75th: 500 500 2018 75th: 500 500 2019 75th: 500 500 2020 75th: 490 490 2021 75th: 510 510 2022 75th: 500 500 2023 75th: 510 510 2024 75th: 520 520

SAT Reading & Writing

25th 75th
350 400 450 500 550 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 390 390 2012 25th: 390 390 2013 25th: 370 370 2014 25th: 380 380 2015 25th: 390 390 2016 25th: 370 370 2017 25th: 420 420 2018 25th: 430 430 2019 25th: 430 430 2020 25th: 420 420 2021 25th: 430 430 2022 25th: 430 430 2023 25th: 420 420 2024 25th: 440 440 2011 75th: 460 460 2012 75th: 460 460 2013 75th: 450 450 2014 75th: 460 460 2015 75th: 480 480 2016 75th: 450 450 2017 75th: 510 510 2018 75th: 510 510 2019 75th: 510 510 2020 75th: 510 510 2021 75th: 530 530 2022 75th: 530 530 2023 75th: 540 540 2024 75th: 550 550

Submitting a Test Score

Submitted
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Submitted: 97.0% 97.0% 2012 Submitted: 99.0% 99.0% 2013 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2014 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2015 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2016 Submitted: 92.0% 92.0% 2017 Submitted: 93.0% 93.0% 2018 Submitted: 92.0% 92.0% 2019 Submitted: 94.0% 94.0% 2020 Submitted: 82.0% 82.0% 2021 Submitted: 24.0% 24.0% 2022 Submitted: 21.0% 21.0% 2023 Submitted: 16.0% 16.0% 2024 Submitted: 11.0% 11.0%

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line. Test-score submission adds SAT and ACT submitters, capped at 100% — a student can send both.