Norfolk State University

Public · Moderately Selective · VA

Photo: Kevin Coles (CC BY 2.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationVA · South

SettingUrban

Undergrads5,392

Student:faculty15:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate15.1%

6-yr grad rate38.5%

Drop-out rate27.4%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$10k

Out-of-state tuition$22k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity98.2%

Gender diversity67.5%

International6.6%

IdentityHBCU

Overview

Norfolk State University is a public historically Black university on the Elizabeth River waterfront in Norfolk, Virginia, one of the larger HBCUs in the country. Its identity is shaped both by its HBCU heritage and by the region's heavy military and shipbuilding presence, which feeds several of its strongest programs.

Academics

Nursing, social work, engineering, and cybersecurity are notable strengths, the last benefiting from proximity to the Hampton Roads region's dense concentration of military and defense-related employers. Class sizes and mentorship culture reflect NSU's HBCU tradition of close faculty-student relationships.

Campus & student life

Homecoming and the Spartan "Legion" marching band are central campus traditions, drawing alumni and the broader Norfolk community back to campus each fall. The waterfront setting and mid-sized city location give students access to a real urban environment without the scale of a much larger metro area.

Getting in

Admission is accessible and grade-driven, with essays playing a smaller role than at highly selective private universities.

After graduation

The region's large military, shipbuilding, and defense-contractor presence provides a strong local hiring pipeline for engineering and cybersecurity graduates, and NSU's HBCU alumni network carries particular strength in the Hampton Roads area specifically.

Worth knowing

Prospective students drawn to cybersecurity or engineering should know the program benefits directly from Hampton Roads' defense-industry density — a meaningful regional advantage not obvious from the university's name alone.

nsu.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate87.8%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 823–1030 · ACT 16–22

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying