Liberty University vs Virginia State University: A Data-Driven Comparison
Admission Difficulty: Both universities maintain accessible admission standards, with Liberty accepting 99.29% of applicants compared to Virginia State's 89.72% acceptance rate. Neither presents significant admission barriers for qualified students.
Cost and Value: Virginia State offers substantial savings for in-state students at $9,755 annually versus Liberty's flat $21,222 tuition for all students. Virginia State's average net price of $14,553 is notably lower than Liberty's $29,552, representing approximately $15,000 in annual savings.
Academic Environment: Virginia State provides more personalized attention with a 13:1 student-faculty ratio compared to Liberty's 18:1. However, Liberty's massive enrollment of 50,059 students dwarfs Virginia State's 4,787, creating vastly different campus scales and resource availability.
Campus Experience: Liberty competes in NCAA Division I athletics while Virginia State participates in Division II. Liberty's retention rate of 78.79% exceeds Virginia State's 71.18%, suggesting stronger first-year student satisfaction.
Outcomes: The institutions show mixed results in graduate success. Virginia State achieves slightly higher median earnings at $45,543 compared to Liberty's $44,813 after ten years. However, Liberty's six-year graduation rate of 63.50% significantly outperforms Virginia State's 40.70%. Student debt levels remain comparable, with Virginia State graduates carrying $26,500 versus Liberty's $24,500.
Students seeking affordable education with smaller class sizes should consider Virginia State, while those wanting extensive campus resources, higher graduation rates, and don't mind higher costs may prefer Liberty.
Admission Difficulty: Both universities maintain accessible admission standards, with Liberty accepting 99.29% of applicants compared to Virginia State's 89.72% acceptance rate. Neither presents significant admission barriers for qualified students.
Cost and Value: Virginia State offers substantial savings for in-state students at $9,755 annually versus Liberty's flat $21,222 tuition for all students. Virginia State's average net price of $14,553 is notably lower than Liberty's $29,552, representing approximately $15,000 in annual savings.
Academic Environment: Virginia State provides more personalized attention with a 13:1 student-faculty ratio compared to Liberty's 18:1. However, Liberty's massive enrollment of 50,059 students dwarfs Virginia State's 4,787, creating vastly different campus scales and resource availability.
Campus Experience: Liberty competes in NCAA Division I athletics while Virginia State participates in Division II. Liberty's retention rate of 78.79% exceeds Virginia State's 71.18%, suggesting stronger first-year student satisfaction.
Outcomes: The institutions show mixed results in graduate success. Virginia State achieves slightly higher median earnings at $45,543 compared to Liberty's $44,813 after ten years. However, Liberty's six-year graduation rate of 63.50% significantly outperforms Virginia State's 40.70%. Student debt levels remain comparable, with Virginia State graduates carrying $26,500 versus Liberty's $24,500.
Students seeking affordable education with smaller class sizes should consider Virginia State, while those wanting extensive campus resources, higher graduation rates, and don't mind higher costs may prefer Liberty.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Liberty University | Virginia State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance Rate | 99.3% | 89.7% |
| SAT Average | 930 | |
| Enrollment | 50,059 | 4,787 |
| In-State Tuition | $21,222 | $9,755 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $21,222 | $22,006 |
| Net Price | $29,552 | $14,553 |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 63.5% | 40.7% |
| Retention Rate | 78.8% | 71.2% |
| Median Earnings (10yr) | $44,813 | $45,543 |
| Median Debt | $24,500 | $26,500 |
Top Programs by Earnings
Top 5 bachelor's programs at each school, ranked by median graduate earnings.
| Liberty University | Virginia State University | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Earnings | Program | Earnings |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. | $72,022 | Management Information Systems and Services. | $42,682 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | $68,219 | Mathematics. | $41,193 |
| Computer Engineering. | $63,600 | Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians. | $39,927 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $62,936 | Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. | $37,424 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | $57,705 | Social Work. | $33,281 |