Norfolk State University
Norfolk, Virginia · Also known as Norfolk State; NSU · Website
$44,666
median earnings, 10 years after starting
$44,666
median earnings, 10 years after starting
Norfolk State University is a public 4-year college in Norfolk, Virginia with 5,392 undergraduates and 643 graduate students. Its average net price after grants is $15,282 a year (tuition and fees $10,180 in-state, $21,682 out-of-state). It admits 88% of applicants and 39% of students finish within 6 years. Former students earn a median $44,666 a year 10 years after they started, and graduates leave with a median $29,000 in federal student loans.
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · June 2026 data
Net price
$15,282
US median $17,138
Tuition in-state
$10,180
Out-of-state $21,682
Admission rate
88%
US median 78%
Completion rate
39%
Within 6 years, US 58%
Median debt
$29,000
About $307 a month
Earnings at 10 years
$44,666
Rank 2,049 of 5,094 in the US
Cost
What a year costs: posted prices and the average after grants
Net price by family income
Average yearly cost after grants, for students who get aid
- Net price
- $15,282
- Tuition in-state
- $10,180
- Tuition out-of-state
- $21,682
- Cost of attendance
- $26,633
- Students with a need-based grant
- 65%
- Students with federal loans
- 64%
- Net price, family income under $30K
- $12,804
- Net price, family income $30K to $48K
- $13,905
- Net price, family income $48K to $75K
- $15,507
- Net price, family income $75K to $110K
- $17,972
- Net price, family income over $110K
- $26,175
Net price is what students who get aid pay on average after grants.
Tuition and net price by year
School years 2015-16 to 2024-25. The year on the chart is the year the school year starts.
Yearly cost
Tuition and fees went from $8,366 in 2015-16 to $10,180 in 2024-25.
Admission, completion and retention
Share of applicants admitted, of students who finish and of first-year students who come back
Admission and students
- Admission rate
- 88%
- Average SAT
- 927
- SAT reading, middle
- 497
- SAT math, middle
- 475
- ACT, middle
- 18
- Undergraduates
- 5,392
- Graduate students
- 643
- Part-time students
- 7.8%
- Women
- 68%
- Students per teacher
- 15
- Completion rate
- 39%
- Retention rate
- 73%
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Programs
- 52
- Endowment
- $77.5M
- Other
- Historically Black college
Earnings and debt
Compared with the medians of the colleges of its state, of colleges of the same kind and of all US colleges
Median earnings 10 years after starting rank 2,049 of 5,094 US colleges and 53 of 127 in Virginia (1 = highest).
| Measure | College | VA median | Same kind | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net price | $15,282 | $19,081 | $12,792 | $17,138 |
| Tuition in-state | $10,180 | $16,364 | $8,626 | $11,837 |
| Admission rate | 88% | 80% | 83% | 78% |
| Completion rate | 39% | 52% | 46% | 58% |
| Retention rate | 73% | 73% | 76% | 75% |
| Median debt | $29,000 | $20,000 | $19,500 | $13,271 |
| Earnings after 6 years | $33,412 | $36,582 | $43,105 | $35,656 |
| Earnings after 10 years | $44,666 | $42,837 | $50,314 | $40,813 |
Best-paid programs
Median earnings 1 year after graduation
Same kind: US public 4-year colleges. Earnings and debt are medians of former students who received federal student aid. 27% of borrowers lowered their balance within 3 years. 57% earn more than a typical high school graduate 6 years after starting.
Programs
52 fields of study and credentials, with graduates, debt and earnings
| Field of study | Graduates | Median debt | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | US median 4 yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 112 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Business/Commerce, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 84 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherBachelor's | Bachelor's | 62 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, OtherBachelor's | Bachelor's | 61 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Biology, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 56 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Social WorkBachelor's | Bachelor's | 56 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $51,790 |
| SociologyBachelor's | Bachelor's | 56 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Health and Medical Administrative ServicesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 49 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $58,716 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessBachelor's | Bachelor's | 42 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingBachelor's | Bachelor's | 32 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 28 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Social WorkMaster's | Master's | 26 | $41,000 | $53,070 | $64,246 | $65,123 |
| Political Science and GovernmentBachelor's | Bachelor's | 20 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsMaster's | Master's | 19 | $57,919 | $51,920 | $59,973 | $59,916 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementOnlineMaster's | Master's | 16 | $41,000 | $59,924 | $92,908 | $121,855 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringMaster's | Master's | 16 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $133,654 |
| Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 16 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Accounting and Related ServicesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 15 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 13 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringBachelor's | Bachelor's | 13 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Criminal Justice and CorrectionsMaster's | Master's | 11 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $66,714 |
| MusicBachelor's | Bachelor's | 11 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Construction Engineering Technology/TechnicianBachelor's | Bachelor's | 9 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Urban Studies/AffairsMaster's | Master's | 9 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $79,634 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftBachelor's | Bachelor's | 8 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
In the area
- Jobs, pay and new homes: Virginia on Local Economy
- More colleges: All colleges in Virginia
- Homes: Homes for sale in Virginia
Questions and answers
How much does Norfolk State University cost?
$15,282 a year is the average net price at Norfolk State University after grants and scholarships. Tuition and fees are $10,180 for in-state students and $21,682 for out-of-state students, and the full cost of attendance with housing, food and books is $26,633. Families earning under $30,000 pay $12,804 on average.
What is the acceptance rate at Norfolk State University?
88% of applicants are admitted to Norfolk State University. The average SAT score of admitted students is 927 and the middle ACT score is 18. The median admission rate of colleges in Virginia is 80%.
How much do Norfolk State University graduates earn?
$44,666 a year is the median pay of former Norfolk State University students who work, 10 years after they started ($33,412 after 6 years). That ranks 2,049 of 5,094 US colleges and 53 of 127 in Virginia. Its best-paid program one year after graduation is Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Master's) at $59,924.
How much student debt do Norfolk State University graduates have?
$29,000 is the median federal student loan debt of Norfolk State University graduates, about $307 a month over 10 years. The median across US colleges is $13,271. 64% of undergraduates take out federal loans.
What is the graduation rate at Norfolk State University?
39% of first-time, full-time students at Norfolk State University finish within 6 years. 73% of first-year students come back for a second year. The median of public 4-year colleges is 46%.
What are the most popular majors at Norfolk State University?
Psychology, General (112 bachelor's graduates), Business/Commerce, General (84 bachelor's graduates), Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (62 bachelor's graduates) had the most graduates in the newest year, out of 52 programs.
Official public data, June 2026 release. Net price is for first-time, full-time students who get aid. Completion counts first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of the normal time. Debt and earnings are medians of students who received federal student aid, measured a few years after they left, in the dollars of the year measured; earnings count former students who work and are not enrolled, including those who did not finish.