University of South Alabama vs Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
In the pursuit of higher education, prospective students often find themselves torn between multiple universities that align with their academic aspirations. To aid in this decision-making process, we present a comprehensive comparison of the University of South Alabama (USA) and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). While both institutions share a commitment to academic excellence, they offer distinct experiences shaped by their unique characteristics. USA boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for students, while VCU's lower student-to-faculty ratio ensures personalized attention. Explore the detailed comparison table to delve into further differences, including popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, to determine which university best aligns with your individual needs and aspirations.
|
|
University of South Alabama |
Virginia Commonwealth University |
|---|---|---|
Overview |
||
| Location | Mobile, Alabama | Richmond, Virginia |
| Campus setting | City: Midsize | City: Midsize |
| College type | 4 year | 4 year |
| Control/business model | Public | Public |
| Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
| Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
| Students retention rate | 71.0% | 84.0% |
Common app member
|
No | Yes |
| Religious affiliation | ||
|
|
||
Admission |
||
| Acceptance rate | 70.8% | 92.8% |
| Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$35
Graduate:
$35
|
Undergraduate:
$70
Graduate:
$70
|
| SAT range | 985 - 1215 | 1070 - 1300 |
| ACT range | 19 - 26 | 20 - 29 |
| Students submitting SAT score | 7.0% | 29.0% |
| Students submitting ACT score | 86.0% | 5.0% |
| Total number of applicants | 11,817 | 17,579 |
| Total number of admissions given out | 8,364 | 16,308 |
| Admitted students who chose to enroll | 1,778 | 4,084 |
| Yield rate | 21.3% | 25.0% |
| Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
| High school GPA | Required | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Not required | Not required |
| High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
| English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Required |
|
|
||
Tuition and Fees |
||
| Sticker price |
In state:
$23,838
Out of state:
$32,094
|
In state:
$36,861
Out of state:
$58,199
|
| Average net price | $14,984 | $19,656 |
| Tuition |
In state:
$8,256
Out of state:
$16,512
|
In state:
$12,094
Out of state:
$32,742
|
| Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$4,260
Meal plan:
$3,890
|
Room/dormitory:
$6,953
Meal plan:
$5,820
|
| Available payment plans |
|
|
|
|
||
Financial Aid |
||
|
Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
92.0%
Average amount $7,774 |
78.0%
Average amount $13,623 |
| Students receiving federal student loan |
49.0%
Average amount $10,354 |
44.0%
Average amount $5,174 |
| Students taking out private loans |
4.0%
Average amount $12,311 |
8.0%
Average amount $17,903 |
|
|
||
Students and Campus |
||
| Undergraduate students |
8,833
Men 38.7% Women 61.3% |
21,394
Men 36.9% Women 63.1% |
| Graduate students |
5,159
Men 20.2% Women 79.8% |
7,200
Men 33.7% Women 66.3% |
| Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
|
Moderate
|
| Out-of-state students | 24.3% | 7.0% |
| International students | 1.5% | 3.6% |
| Campus local/setting | City: Midsize | City: Midsize |
| Dormitory capacity | 3,331 | 5,958 |
| First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
| Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | Alabama Mississippi Florida Illinois Louisiana | Virginia Maryland North Carolina New Jersey Pennsylvania |
|
|
||
Academics |
||
| Popular study areas |
|
|
| Students to faculty ratio | 17:1 | 18:1 |
| Institutional accreditation | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
|
|
||
Outcome |
||
| Graduation rate | 47.4% | 67.6% |
| Dropout rate | 19.5% | 10.5% |
| Transferred out | 29.5% | 19.2% |
| Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
|
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (Master's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees)
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Compare Similar Colleges
The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing
statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you
don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page.
There, you can search for the
specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
University of South Alabama
vs
Alabama A & M University
University of South Alabama
vs
Alabama State University
University of South Alabama
vs
Jacksonville State University
University of South Alabama
vs
University of West Alabama
University of South Alabama
vs
Troy University
University of South Alabama
vs
Arkansas State University
University of South Alabama
vs
University of Central Arkansas
University of South Alabama
vs
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
University of South Alabama
vs
Boise State University
University of South Alabama
vs
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
University of South Alabama
vs
Purdue University Fort Wayne
University of South Alabama
vs
Indiana State University
University of South Alabama
vs
Eastern Kentucky University
University of South Alabama
vs
Western Kentucky University
University of South Alabama
vs
University of Louisiana at Monroe
University of South Alabama
vs
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of South Alabama
vs
Jackson State University
University of South Alabama
vs
Mississippi State University
University of South Alabama
vs
University of Southern Mississippi
University of South Alabama
vs
Rowan University
University of South Alabama
vs
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
University of South Alabama
vs
Appalachian State University
University of South Alabama
vs
East Carolina University
University of South Alabama
vs
University of North Carolina Wilmington
University of South Alabama
vs
Western Carolina University
University of South Alabama
vs
East Tennessee State University
University of South Alabama
vs
Middle Tennessee State University
University of South Alabama
vs
Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi
University of South Alabama
vs
Texas Woman's University
University of South Alabama
vs
University of Vermont
University of South Alabama
vs
Virginia Commonwealth University
University of South Alabama
vs
Marshall University
VCU
vs
University of Alaska Fairbanks
VCU
vs
Northern Arizona University
VCU
vs
California State University-Fullerton
VCU
vs
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
VCU
vs
University of Connecticut
VCU
vs
Florida Atlantic University
VCU
vs
Florida State University
VCU
vs
Georgia State University
VCU
vs
University of Illinois Chicago
VCU
vs
Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis
VCU
vs
Iowa State University
VCU
vs
University of Louisville
VCU
vs
University of Maine
VCU
vs
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
VCU
vs
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
VCU
vs
Wayne State University
VCU
vs
University of Mississippi
VCU
vs
Missouri State University-Springfield
VCU
vs
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
VCU
vs
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus
VCU
vs
University of New Mexico-Main Campus
VCU
vs
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
VCU
vs
East Carolina University
VCU
vs
Cleveland State University
VCU
vs
Kent State University at Kent
VCU
vs
University of Toledo
VCU
vs
Wright State University-Main Campus
VCU
vs
University of Rhode Island
VCU
vs
University of Memphis
VCU
vs
University of Vermont
VCU
vs
Christopher Newport University
VCU
vs
George Mason University
VCU
vs
Hampton University
VCU
vs
James Madison University
VCU
vs
Liberty University
VCU
vs
Old Dominion University
VCU
vs
Shenandoah University
VCU
vs
West Virginia University
VCU
vs
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
VCU
vs
South University-Richmond
VCU
vs
Augusta University
Common app member