Virginia · Petersburg
Virginia State University
Founded in 1882 in Petersburg, Virginia State is a public 1890 land-grant HBCU and one of the first fully state-supported four-year institutions of higher learning for Black Americans.
Snapshot
At a glance
Undergraduate enrollment
5,074
Admission rate
89%
Retention (first-year)
69%
Completion (150% of time)
39%
Pell recipients
72%
Black undergraduate share
83%
These figures come from federal college data updated May 26, 2026. A dash means the number was not available.
Student body
Undergraduate composition
Black
83%
Hispanic
6%
White
2%
Asian
0%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0%
Two or more races
5%
Nonresident
1%
Unknown
2%
Percentages may not add to 100% when a category is not reported.
Costs
Tuition and financial aid
Tuition, in-state
$10,043
Tuition, out-of-state
$22,650
Median federal loan debt
$17,500
Federal loan recipients
76%
Pell recipients
72%
Sticker tuition only. Real cost after federal, state, and institutional aid is typically lower — see the school’s net price calculator.
Outcomes
Earnings, retention, and completion
Median earnings, 6 years
$33,630
Median earnings, 10 years
$45,543
Median debt
$17,500
Retention
69%
Completion
39%
Earnings and debt are shown only when federal data is available.
Institution
Campus and classification
Accreditor
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Campus setting
Suburb: large
Carnegie basic
Master's colleges and universities: medium programs
Undergraduate profile
Full-time four-year, more selective, lower transfer-in
Size and setting
Medium four-year, highly residential
Average faculty salary
$9,469 monthly
Full-time faculty share
65%
DOE unit ID
234155
These labels describe the school’s size, location, and academic mix. They are not rankings.
Test scores
SAT and ACT
SAT (average)
948
ACT composite (25th–75th)
14–20
Middle 50% of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores. Many HBCUs are test-optional or test-flexible; confirm the current policy at admissions.
67 programs
Academic programs
Undergraduate certificate · 5
- Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
- Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
- Information Science/Studies
- International Agriculture
- Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other
Bachelor · 35
- Accounting and Related Services
- Agriculture, General
- Biology, General
- Business Administration, Management and Operations
- Business/Managerial Economics
- Chemistry
- Communication and Media Studies
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians
- Computer Science
- Computer and Information Sciences, General
- Criminal Justice and Corrections
- Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
- English Language and Literature, General
- Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies
- History
- Hospitality Administration/Management
- Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
- Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
- Management Information Systems and Services
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Marketing
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
- Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
- Music
- Political Science and Government
- Psychology, General
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
- Social Work
- Sociology
- Special Education and Teaching
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
- Visual and Performing Arts, General
Master · 18
- Basic Skills and Developmental/Remedial Education
- Biology, General
- Business/Managerial Economics
- Computer Science
- Computer and Information Sciences, General
- Criminal Justice and Corrections
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Education, General
- Educational Administration and Supervision
- Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
- Mathematics
- Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
- Psychology, General
- Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
- Social Work
- Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
- Student Counseling and Personnel Services
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
Doctoral · 2
- Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
- Educational Administration and Supervision
Graduate certificate · 7
- Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services
- Educational Administration and Supervision
- Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
- Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
- Information Science/Studies
- Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
This is a broad program list. Check the school’s own catalog for current majors, minors, concentrations, and course details.