Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) vs Missouri State

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Missouri State University-Springfield (MSU-S) are two distinct institutions of higher learning with unique characteristics. VCU, located in the heart of Richmond, Virginia, boasts a diverse student body and a wide range of academic programs, while MSU-S, nestled in the vibrant city of Springfield, Missouri, offers a more intimate learning environment and a strong focus on undergraduate education. With acceptance rates of 73% and 86%, respectively, both universities welcome students from various backgrounds and academic achievements. While VCU's popular majors include Business, Engineering, and Health Professions, MSU-S excels in Business, Education, and Health Sciences. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these universities, including student demographics, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your decision in choosing the best fit for your academic and personal aspirations.

	Missouri State University-Springfield	Virginia Commonwealth University
Overview
Location	Springfield, Missouri	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	75.0%	84.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	93.9%	92.8%
Application fees	$55	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $70
SAT range	1010 - 1200	1070 - 1300
ACT range	20 - 26	20 - 29
Students submitting SAT score	7.0%	29.0%
Students submitting ACT score	81.0%	5.0%
Total number of applicants	9,726	17,579
Total number of admissions given out	9,128	16,308
Admitted students who chose to enroll	2,562	4,084
Yield rate	28.1%	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: $23,168 Out of state: $31,372	In state: $36,861 Out of state: $58,199
Average net price	$16,501	$19,656
Tuition	In state: $7,196 Out of state: $15,400	In state: $12,094 Out of state: $32,742
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,704 Meal plan: $3,154	Room/dormitory: $6,953 Meal plan: $5,820
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	93.0% Average amount $7,355	78.0% Average amount $13,623
Students receiving federal student loan	46.0% Average amount $5,123	44.0% Average amount $5,174
Students taking out private loans	10.0% Average amount $9,487	8.0% Average amount $17,903

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	18,837 Men 40.8% Women 59.2%	21,394 Men 36.9% Women 63.1%
Graduate students	4,088 Men 36.6% Women 63.4%	7,200 Men 33.7% Women 66.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	7.0%
International students	3.3%	3.6%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	3,476	5,958
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Virginia Maryland North Carolina New Jersey Pennsylvania

Academics
Popular study areas	Education Business Health Professions Visual & Performing Arts Computer and Information Science	Health Professions Visual & Performing Arts Business Public Administration and Social Service Multidisciplinary Studies
Students to faculty ratio	19:1	18:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	59.5%	67.6%
Dropout rate	37.0%	10.5%
Transferred out	N/A	19.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $175,202 Year 3: $184,068 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $98,548 Year 2: $95,169 Year 3: $108,834 Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,513 Year 2: $61,020 Year 3: $71,727 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,220 Year 2: $62,579 Year 3: $70,514 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $65,200 Year 2: $58,402 Year 3: $66,825 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $65,601 Year 2: $66,592 Year 3: $66,652 Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $57,995 Year 3: $66,081 Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $53,558 Year 2: $55,102 Year 3: $65,278 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,213 Year 2: $54,928 Year 3: $58,162 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $52,330 Year 2: $53,984 Year 3: $57,217	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $234,763 Year 3: $225,432 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $166,030 Year 2: $181,454 Year 3: $181,915 Dentistry (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $87,586 Year 2: $106,935 Year 3: $134,578 Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $101,582 Year 2: $119,256 Year 3: $121,903 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $94,371 Year 2: $93,178 Year 3: $105,544 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $94,094 Year 2: $93,467 Year 3: $97,893 Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $100,759 Year 2: $86,867 Year 3: $94,244 Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $73,726 Year 2: $82,440 Year 3: $90,664 Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $77,993 Year 2: $89,305 Year 3: $82,470 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $70,920 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $82,210

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