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Norfolk State University

Norfolk State University is a public campus in Norfolk proper — federal locale codes class it as urban. It is one of the nation's historically Black colleges and universities — a federally recognized designation.

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What could it cost?

Start with net price after grants, then read the published costs. Each chart names its academic year and the students it covers.

Net price by family income

key chart

Average annual cost after grants for each family-income band. These group averages are not personal price quotes.

IPEDS Income brackets, 2022–23

family-income band

$11,099

family income
under $30k

$12,836

$30–48k

$13,868

$48–75k

$14,235

$75–110k

$18,020

over $110k

Average net price

$15,2822023–24Skip to data table

Average annual attendance cost after grants for the reported student group. Your own aid offer and costs may differ.

Average net price at Norfolk State University rose from $11,019 (2008) to $15,282 (2023).

Average net price — data
Year	Net price
2008	$11,019
2009	$10,602
2010	$12,230
2011	$11,736
2012	$11,901
2013	$11,920
2014	$13,258
2015	$15,304
2016	$15,259
2017	$15,155
2018	$12,645
2019	$15,657
2020	$12,643
2021	$15,577
2022	$12,973
2023	$15,282

IPEDS 16 federal reports, 2008–2023

Total cost of attendance

$26,6332024–25Skip to data table

Estimated annual attendance budget before grants, including tuition, fees, housing, food and books. Not every expense is billed by the school.

Total cost at Norfolk State University rose from $18,081 (2009) to $26,633 (2024).

Total cost of attendance — data
Year	Cost
2009	$18,081
2010	$17,424
2011	$18,499
2012	$18,497
2013	$18,837
2014	$19,299
2015	$21,286
2016	$22,976
2017	$23,992
2018	$24,948
2019	$24,430
2020	$26,439
2021	$25,288
2022	$26,039
2023	$26,093
2024	$26,633

IPEDS Academic-year cost 2009–2024

Tuition (in-state vs out-of-state)

Skip to data table

Published tuition and fees before grants. Housing, food, books and other attendance costs are separate.

In-stateOut-of-state

Tuition — data
Year	In-state	Out-of-state
2000	$2,856	$8,056
2001	$2,916	$8,818
2002	$3,075	$10,361
2003	$3,584	$11,748
2004	$4,925	$14,255
2005	$4,670	$14,480
2006	$5,056	$15,376
2007	$5,322	$16,242
2008	$5,560	$16,807
2013	$7,126	$20,596
2014	$7,552	$20,236
2015	$8,366	$20,124
2016	$8,738	$20,340
2017	$9,036	$20,478
2018	$9,490	$20,658
2019	$9,622	$20,790
2020	$9,622	$20,790
2021	$9,622	$20,790
2022	$9,622	$20,790
2023	$9,910	$21,412

IPEDS Published price 2000–01 to 2023–24 (not adjusted for inflation)

Cost, size & completion summary

Cost, size & completion

Norfolk State University reports tuition of $10,180 for in-state students and $21,682 for out-of-state students. Check Norfolk State University’s residency rules, attendance budget and aid offer. Scorecard snapshot: 2026-06-10; historical charts show their own years.

At 5,392 undergrads, Norfolk State University is a mid-sized campus by U.S. standards.

38.5% of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants completed at Norfolk State University within six years (2026-06-10 release). This measure excludes other student groups.

Do students finish — and what comes after?

Graduation, debt and earnings cover different groups. Read each chart's entering class or fiscal period; they are not one group's journey.

Six-year graduation rate

key chart

38.5%entered Fall 2018Skip to data table

The share of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants who completed at this institution within six years. Other students are not included.

The six-year graduation rate at Norfolk State University rose from 23.4% (entered 1991) to 38.5% (entered 2018).

A six-year rate can only describe a class that entered six or more years ago — by definition the last point on the line is that old.

Six-year graduation rate — data
Year	Graduated within 6 yrs
1991 cohort	23.4%
1992 cohort	19.5%
1993 cohort	19.6%
1994 cohort	22.6%
1995 cohort	22.4%
1996 cohort	27.3%
1997 cohort	28.4%
1998 cohort	27.4%
1999 cohort	29.8%
2000 cohort	29.6%
2001 cohort	30.7%
2002 cohort	31.7%
2003 cohort	31.5%
2004 cohort	34.1%
2005 cohort	34.5%
2006 cohort	34.4%
2007 cohort	34.4%
2008 cohort	32.6%
2009 cohort	33.1%
2010 cohort	34.8%
2011 cohort	42%
2012 cohort	37.4%
2013 cohort	35.8%
2014 cohort	39.4%
2015 cohort	37.1%
2016 cohort	39.9%
2017 cohort	32.7%
2018 cohort	38.5%

IPEDS Entering cohorts 1991–2018

Median debt at exit (completers vs non-completers)

Historical student groups

key chart

Skip to data table

Median federal student loan debt when students left school, shown separately for those who completed and those who did not.

CompletedLeft without degree

Each point combines two years. Neighboring points share one year, so changes should be read with that overlap in mind.

These two-year windows closed before today's students borrowed — they describe past cohorts, not the current price of a degree.

Median debt at exit — data
Year	Completed	Left without degree
Left school in fiscal years 1998 and 1999 (FY1998/99)	—	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 (FY1999/00)	$15,883	$5,327
Left school in fiscal years 2000 and 2001 (FY2000/01)	$15,525	$5,023
Left school in fiscal years 2001 and 2002 (FY2001/02)	$15,327	$5,250
Left school in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 (FY2003/04)	$14,250	$5,228
Left school in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 (FY2004/05)	$14,756	$4,735
Left school in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 (FY2005/06)	$17,000	$5,938
Left school in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 (FY2006/07)	$17,125	$6,625
Left school in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 (FY2007/08)	$16,938	$6,625
Left school in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 (FY2008/09)	$18,287	$6,251
Left school in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 (FY2009/10)	$21,203	$6,500
Left school in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (FY2010/11)	$23,245	$8,250
Left school in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 (FY2011/12)	$25,334	$9,500
Left school in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 (FY2012/13)	$27,137	$9,500
Left school in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 (FY2013/14)	$29,000	$10,000
Left school in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 (FY2014/15)	$30,500	$12,000
Left school in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 (FY2015/16)	$31,000	$14,250
Left school in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 (FY2016/17)	$31,000	$15,000
Left school in fiscal years 2017 and 2018 (FY2017/18)	$31,000	$11,000
Left school in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 (FY2018/19)	$31,000	$11,000
Left school in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (FY2019/20)	$30,500	$12,000
Left school in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (FY2020/21)	$29,000	$12,500

NSLDS GRAD_DEBT_MDN / WDRAW_DEBT_MDN, merged FY periods · via College Scorecard

Earnings after entry

Historical student groups

Median annual earnings after entering college, for federally aided students who were working and not enrolled when measured.

Entered: academic years 2013–14 or 2014–15

$33,412

6 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2011–12 or 2012–13

$40,645

8 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2009–10 or 2010–11

$44,666

10 years after entry

Each figure covers a different group of students who entered college in the stated years. Earnings were measured in the same two years; these are not one group followed over time.

Measured in 2020–21, adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars. Each figure pools two entering academic years.

Treasury Pooled entering cohorts · Scorecard 2020–21 historical file

What does the admissions record show?

Rates and score ranges describe a past admissions cycle. Submitted scores are not cutoffs or a prediction of admission.

Admissions snapshot & test policies

Norfolk State University admitted 9,871 of 11,247 applicants in Fall 2024. The 87.8% rate describes that application pool.

87.8%

acceptance rate · Fall 2024 admissions cycle

rate trend $9,910 in-state tuition · 2023–24 5,392 undergraduates · Fall 2024

Test-optional (considered) · Fall 2024

400SAT range (section 25th/75th sums): 823–10301600

Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →

Admissions

In the Fall 2024 cycle, Norfolk State University received 11,247 applications and admitted 9,871 (87.8%), with 1,305 enrolling.

Norfolk State University reported scores as considered but not required for the Fall 2024 admissions cycle. For Norfolk State University’s enrolled SAT submitters, Reading and Writing was 430–520 and Math was 393–510 (25th–75th percentiles). The section-percentile sums 823–1030 are not composite-score percentiles. These are not admission cutoffs.

Check current requirements with admissions.

Score	25th	50th	75th
SAT Reading & Writing	430	470	520
SAT Math	393	445	510
ACT Composite	16	19	22

25th / 75th: a quarter of enrolled submitters scored below the first number, a quarter above the second. These are not cutoffs.

Only students who submitted scores are counted — at test-optional schools, many enrolled students aren't in this table.

Percentiles are among enrolled students who submitted scores (Fall 2024 admissions cycle).

Acceptance rate

87.8%Fall 2024Skip to data table

The share of applicants offered a spot — lower means more selective; read it alongside the score ranges below.

Acceptance rate — data
Year	Acceptance rate
Fall 2001	82.4%
Fall 2002	77.5%
Fall 2003	71.3%
Fall 2004	73.4%
Fall 2005	73.4%
Fall 2006	68.4%
Fall 2007	67.4%
Fall 2008	68.2%
Fall 2009	63%
Fall 2010	63.6%
Fall 2011	65.3%
Fall 2012	67.3%
Fall 2013	65%
Fall 2014	65.7%
Fall 2015	78.9%
Fall 2016	85.5%
Fall 2017	90.1%
Fall 2018	89.7%
Fall 2019	91.7%
Fall 2020	91.1%
Fall 2021	88.6%
Fall 2022	89.5%
Fall 2023	87.5%
Fall 2024	87.8%

IPEDS Fall cycles 2001–2024

SAT range (section sums, 25th–75th)

823–1030Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

Sums of the reading/writing and math percentiles among enrolled submitters — not percentiles of total SAT scores or admission cutoffs.

SAT range (section sums) — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	673	909
Fall 2002	790	940
Fall 2003	810	970
Fall 2004	810	950
Fall 2005	810	950
Fall 2006	820	980
Fall 2007	790	940
Fall 2008	790	940
Fall 2009	760	920
Fall 2010	790	940
Fall 2011	790	950
Fall 2012	800	940
Fall 2013	800	960
Fall 2014	790	950
Fall 2015	700	910
Fall 2016	620	860
Fall 2017	840	1040
Fall 2018	860	1030
Fall 2019	860	1040
Fall 2020	840	1020
Fall 2021	860	1083
Fall 2022	840	1040
Fall 2023	840	1100
Fall 2024	823	1030

IPEDS Fall 2001–2024, submitters only

ACT middle 50%

16–22Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

The middle half of enrolled ACT submitters, using published composite-score percentiles — not admission cutoffs.

ACT middle 50% — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	14	20
Fall 2002	16	19
Fall 2003	17	20
Fall 2005	17	19
Fall 2006	17	19
Fall 2007	17	19
Fall 2008	16	19
Fall 2009	17	20
Fall 2010	17	19
Fall 2011	17	18
Fall 2012	17	19
Fall 2013	16	20
Fall 2014	16	19
Fall 2015	15	19
Fall 2016	16	20
Fall 2017	17	21
Fall 2018	16	21
Fall 2019	15	21
Fall 2020	15	20
Fall 2021	15	20
Fall 2022	15	20
Fall 2023	16	21
Fall 2024	16	22

IPEDS Fall 2001–2024, submitters only

What is the campus like?

Enrollment counts a campus population; retention follows first-years returning. Their dates and populations are shown separately.

Undergraduate enrollment

5,392Fall 2024Skip to data table

Reported undergraduate enrollment. This count does not measure class size or teaching access.

Undergraduate enrollment at Norfolk State University has wandered from Fall 2002 to Fall 2024 — up to 6,312 at the peak — but ends near where it began, at 5,392.

Undergraduate enrollment — data
Year	Undergraduates
Fall 2002	5,810
Fall 2003	5,835
Fall 2004	5,301
Fall 2005	5,246
Fall 2006	5,314
Fall 2007	5,259
Fall 2008	5,582
Fall 2009	6,103
Fall 2010	6,075
Fall 2011	6,222
Fall 2012	6,312
Fall 2013	5,955
Fall 2014	5,284
Fall 2015	4,477
Fall 2016	4,707
Fall 2017	4,643
Fall 2018	4,636
Fall 2019	5,083
Fall 2020	4,977
Fall 2021	5,004
Fall 2022	5,328
Fall 2023	5,495
Fall 2024	5,392

IPEDS Fall headcounts 2002–2024

First-year retention (full-time)

73%Fall 2023 cohortSkip to data table

The share of the reported first-time student group who returned the following year. This rate does not explain why others left.

First-year retention at Norfolk State University has held near 73% from Fall 2002 to Fall 2023.

First-year retention — data
Year	Retention
Fall 2002 cohort	70%
Fall 2003 cohort	63%
Fall 2004 cohort	65%
Fall 2005 cohort	67%
Fall 2006 cohort	70%
Fall 2007 cohort	73%
Fall 2008 cohort	70%
Fall 2009 cohort	66%
Fall 2010 cohort	73%
Fall 2011 cohort	74%
Fall 2012 cohort	72%
Fall 2013 cohort	74%
Fall 2014 cohort	72%
Fall 2015 cohort	77%
Fall 2016 cohort	71%
Fall 2017 cohort	70%
Fall 2018 cohort	74%
Fall 2019 cohort	68%
Fall 2020 cohort	66%
Fall 2021 cohort	70%
Fall 2022 cohort	72%
Fall 2023 cohort	73%

IPEDS Full-time cohorts 2002–2023

More about Norfolk State University

65% of Norfolk State University's undergraduates carry Pell grants — the standard federal marker of lower-income enrollment. Carnegie classes Norfolk State University as a primarily residential campus of 5,392 undergraduates — and 72.6% of the reported first-time, full-time student group returned for a second year.

Norfolk State University's SAT section-percentile sums are 823–1030 — their midpoint is below the VA four-year benchmark. These are not total-score percentiles. Put your own practice estimate on Norfolk State University's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.

Why some charts are marked “key chart”

key chart

Start with three useful questions: what costs were reported for families in your income band, how many first-time full-time students finished, and what federal debt borrowers held when leaving.

How Norfolk State University compares

State and national medians cover active bachelor-primary institutions, mixing public and private schools. Tuition uses in-state rates at public schools. These are broad reference points, not a ranking of similar schools or your likely bill.

Scorecard dates identify the release snapshot, not a shared measurement year. Earnings describe federally aided students who were working and not enrolled ten years after entry; cohorts and populations differ from the admissions and tuition figures.

Acceptance rate

Fall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS

Norfolk State University87.8%

Virginia median79.8%

National median76.8%

Tuition (in-state)

Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid

Norfolk State University$10,180

Virginia median$21,650

National median$19,591

Median earnings (10 yr)

Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot

Norfolk State University's snapshot: calendar years and dollar basis unverified.

Norfolk State University$44,666

Virginia median$53,453

National median$53,781

View comparison data & dates

Norfolk State University, Virginia and national reference values
Metric & basis	Norfolk State University	Virginia median	National median
Acceptance rateFall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS	87.8%	79.8%	76.8%
Tuition (in-state)Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid	$10,180	$21,650	$19,591
Median earnings (10 yr)Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot	$44,666	$53,453	$53,781

Frequently asked questions

What test-score data does Norfolk State University report?

Norfolk State University's enrolled submitters had SAT section-percentile sums of 823–1030 in Fall 2024. These are not total-score percentiles or a GPA requirement.

What is Norfolk State University's acceptance rate?

87.8% in the Fall 2024 cycle — 9,871 admitted from 11,247 applicants.

How much does Norfolk State University cost?

In-state tuition is $10,180; out-of-state students pay $21,682. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.

What earnings data does Norfolk State University report?

Median earnings ten years after entry: $44,666. Source and date limits.

Similar colleges in Virginia

Old Dominion University — 90.4% admitted
Marymount University — 93.2% admitted
Radford University — 89.5% admitted
Randolph-Macon College — 86.6% admitted

Run your own numbers

Data: IPEDS ADM2024 (Fall 2024 admissions, provisional) · IPEDS HD2024/IC2024 directory · College Scorecard 2026-06-10 release (institution and field-of-study files; earnings from Treasury records). Retrieved 2026-09-01. Chart dates follow this institution's available observations; the release date is not an academic year or an earnings year. Some records end earlier than others. Read the date and population definitions.