Virginia State University
Virginia State University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Virginia State University Featured Rankings
- #6 HBCU Online Doctoral Programs
- #6 Virginia's Best Online Colleges 2026
- #7 Best Small Colleges in Virginia
- #8 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Virginia 2026
- #8 Most Affordable Colleges in Virginia 2026
- #9 Virginia's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #10 HBCU Online Master's Programs
- #10 Best Public Colleges in Virginia
- #11 Best Online HBCUs
- #11 Best Grad Schools in Virginia 2026
- #15 Best Colleges in Virginia 2026
- #19 Most Influential HBCUs
- #37 Online Master’s in Education
About Virginia State University
According to Wikipedia, Virginia State University is a public historically Black land-grant university in Ettrick, Virginia. Founded on , Virginia State developed as the United States's first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for Black Americans. The university is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.
Virginia State University's Online Degrees
EdD in Educational Administration And Supervision
- Required Credits: 60
- Format: Fully online
Graduate Certificate in Homefront Readjustment For The Armed Forces
- Format: Fully online
Virginia State University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10,577 | 89% | 69% | 37% | 955 | 17 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Virginia State University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $10,418 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $11,335 |
| 30K - 48K | $17,026 |
| 48K - 75K | $17,292 |
| 75K - 110K | $21,045 |
| 110K+ | $25,432 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Virginia State University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Virginia State University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $49,358 a year, and 93% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Virginia State University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 6,003 | 5,556 | 447 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Virginia State University?
Virginia State University is located at 1 Hayden Drive, Petersburg, VA 23806.
How Safe is Virginia State University?
Relative to its enrollment, Virginia State University has a violent crime rate of 0.30% and a property crime rate of 0.07%. Petersburg has a violent crime rate of 1.07% and a property crime rate of 2.96%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Virginia State University Known For?
Virginia State University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Social Work
- Engineering
- Education
- Mathematics
- Criminal Justice
- Political Science
- History
- Business
- Communications
- Computer Science
- Biology
- Psychology
- Chemistry
- Medical
- Literature
- Sociology
- Nursing
Virginia State University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Virginia State University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Virginia State University ranks #269 in the U.S. and #653 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesVirginia State University ranks #288 in the U.S. and #1745 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesVirginia State University ranks #303 in the U.S. and #1259 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesVirginia State University ranks #315 in the U.S. and #1236 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesVirginia State University ranks #372 in the U.S. and #673 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesVirginia State University ranks #433 in the U.S. and #1752 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesVirginia State University ranks #513 in the U.S. and #1485 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesVirginia State University ranks #567 in the U.S. and #2104 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesVirginia State University ranks #574 in the U.S. and #2135 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesVirginia State University ranks #635 in the U.S. and #2840 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesVirginia State University ranks #640 in the U.S. and #2771 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesVirginia State University ranks #832 in the U.S. and #2173 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesVirginia State University ranks #900 in the U.S. and #3924 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesVirginia State University ranks #927 in the U.S. and #3248 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesVirginia State University ranks #936 in the U.S. and #2808 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesVirginia State University ranks #965 in the U.S. and #3225 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesVirginia State University ranks #1898 in the U.S. and #4788 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesWho Are Virginia State University's Most Influential Alumni?
Virginia State University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Social Work, Criminal Justice, and Earth Sciences. Here are some of Virginia State University's most famous alumni:
- Gladys West
- An American mathematician known for her contributions to Global Positioning Systems.
- Herman Branson
- An American physicist.
- Christine Darden
- An African-American mathematician, aerospace engineer.
- Dorothy Cotton
- An American civil rights activist .
- Theodore K. Lawless
- An American dermatologist .
- Roger Gregory
- An American judge.
- 2 Chainz
- An American rapper .
- James H. Stith
- An American physicist.
- Linda B. Hayden
- An African-American mathematician.
- Billy Taylor
- An American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster, and educator .
- Wale
- An American rapper .
- Jack Thomas
- A Former President, Western Illinois University.
