Norfolk State University
Norfolk, VA · Public · Midsize city · NSU · Norfolk State
Public institution in Norfolk, VA · 5,495 undergraduates · 87% acceptance rate · $44,666 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 9%Pell Grant share
- Top 21%Undergraduates
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $12,973516th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $9,910587th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $21,412947th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $26,093758th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $29,0001,805th lowest of 1,880 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $44,6661,374th highest of 1,969 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $33,4121,625th highest of 1,964 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 32.7%1,718th highest of 2,031 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 72.0%1,145th highest of 1,853 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 87.5%1,158th most selective of 1,608 reporting
- Average SAT
- 980967th highest of 1,024 reporting
- Median ACT
- 18914th highest of 954 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 5,495457th largest of 2,162 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 18.0:11,713th smallest of 2,159 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 62.2%192nd highest of 2,140 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 145 mi (DCA)
On 1 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Applying
- EANov 1
- RDMar 15
- Common App member
- Yes
- Application fee
- $25
- Personal essay
- Optional / not required
- Writing supplement
- No
Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 32 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness | bachelors | — | — |
| Biology, GeneralBiological Sciences | bachelors | — | — |
| Business/Commerce, GeneralBusiness | bachelors | — | — |
| ChemistryPhysical Sciences | bachelors | — | — |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsHealth Professions | bachelors | — | — |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, OtherCommunications | bachelors | — | — |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/TechniciansEngineering Technology | bachelors | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Science | bachelors | — | — |
| Construction Engineering TechnologiesEngineering Technology | bachelors | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | — | — |
| Electrical Engineering Technologies/TechniciansEngineering Technology | bachelors | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | — | — |
Campus facts
- A Historically Black College or University (HBCU)source
- Founded in 1935source
- Athletic nickname: "Spartans"source
- William "Dick" Price Stadium seats about 30,000source
- Competes in NCAA Division Isource
- Mascot: Spiro the Spartansource
- Motto: "On seal: "Achievement, Citizenship" / "We See the Future in You""source
- Campus size: about 134 acressource
- Formerly known as "Norfolk Division of Virginia Union University" (1935–1942)source
- Formerly known as "Norfolk Polytechnic College" (1942–1969)source
- Formerly known as "Norfolk State College" (1969–1979)source
- Athletic conference: FCSsource
- Football rivalry: Battle of the Bay (since 1963)source
- Football rivalry: Norfolk State–Old Dominion (since 2011)source
- Fight song: ""Norfolk State Fight Song""source
- Notable alum: J. B. Smoovesource
Athletics — 8 sports
NCAA Division I-FCS · NCAA Division I
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $5,056,903 (M $3,383,178 · W $1,673,725)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Bowling
- Football
- Softball
- Tennis
- Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
- Volleyball
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Key links
- Official websitensu.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 232937)
- Compare colleges in VARe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in VirginiaEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Showdown: Norfolk State University vs Radford UniversityHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 8 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.