More selective than 35% of Virginia colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $26,633. College Scorecard.
Higher than 14% of Virginia colleges we cover and 23% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 16% of Virginia colleges we cover and 25% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Norfolk State University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 10,211 applicants, Norfolk State University admitted 8,931 and 1,503 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 823–1030 on the SAT or 16–22 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Norfolk State University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Virginia residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
Norfolk State University majors, earnings & careers
Norfolk State University offers 33 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Engineering · 6
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 5
- Health & Medicine · 4
- Science & Math · 4
- Arts & Design · 3
- Education · 3
- Humanities & Languages · 3
- Business & Finance · 2
- Communications & Media · 2
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at Norfolk State University
Not enough graduates in any one major to report earnings.
Quick list of all 33 majors
- Accounting—
- Biology—
- Business—
- Chemistry—
- Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other—
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Computer Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- Construction Engineering Technology / Technician—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Electrical / Electronic Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- Electrical Engineering—
- Engineering, Other—
- English—
- Family and Consumer Sciences / Human Sciences, Other—
- Health Administration—
- History—
- Journalism—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies / Technicians—
- Medical Laboratory Science—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Nursing—
- Physics—
- Political Science—
- Psychology—
- Social Work—
- Sociology—
- Special Education—
- Studio Art—
- Theatre—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Journalism → Reporter / journalist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 5.9% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Computer and Information Sciences → Software developer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Virginia Beach
Overall prices in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,667. Housing costs about the U.S. average for housing.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 50 inches of rain a year, 6 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: coastal flooding (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Norfolk City
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Norfolk City at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Norfolk State University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Virginia by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk State University | 88% | $15,282 | 39% | $44,666 | This school |
| Virginia State University | 89% | $15,840 | 39% | $45,543 | |
| Radford University | 90% | $14,578 | 49% | $53,739 | |
| Christopher Newport University | 86% | $23,015 | 72% | $60,509 | |
| Longwood University | 90% | $19,066 | 61% | $52,347 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Norfolk State University would cost you $558 less per year than Virginia State University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Norfolk State University, mostly from lower housing & meal costs (−$1,274).
- Virginia State University gives aided families $470 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Virginia resident | Norfolk State University | VSU | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $10,180 | $10,043 | +$137 |
| Books & supplies | $1,200 | $1,300 | −$100 |
| Housing & meals | $11,692 | $12,966 | −$1,274 |
| Personal & travel | $4,700 | $3,640 | +$1,060 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$1,139 | −$288 | −$851 |
| Sticker price | $26,633 | $27,661 | −$1,028 |
| Average grants | −$11,351 | −$11,821 | +$470 |
| You pay | $15,282 | $15,840 | −$558 |
“+” means Norfolk State University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Norfolk State University
What is the Norfolk State University acceptance rate?
Norfolk State University accepts 88% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 8,931 of 10,211 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 823–1030 on the SAT or 16–22 on the ACT.
How much does Norfolk State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $26,633 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $15,282 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $12,804 and families earning $110k+ pay $26,175.
How much do Norfolk State University graduates earn?
Former Norfolk State University students earn a median $44,666 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Norfolk State University graduation rate?
39% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 73% return for their second year.
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Norfolk State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/norfolk-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).