Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Norfolk State University #296 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Norfolk State University sits in the 67.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting graduates who earn about $2,196 more than similar students at comparable institutions. Azimuth ranks Norfolk State University #224 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- Norfolk State University's composite ranking reflects a consistent pattern of delivering earnings beyond expectations for students who might otherwise face limited pathways — a signal that the university's outcomes hold up well relative to what similar students achieve elsewhere. The mobility ranking reinforces that story: Norfolk State University serves a broad-access student population and converts that access into measurable upward economic progress among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Norfolk State University #296 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Norfolk, VA, Norfolk State University enrolls roughly 5,392 undergraduates. Freshman retention stands at 72.6% and the six-year graduation rate is 38.5%, figures that reflect the university's ongoing investment in keeping students on track to degree completion. The composite is anchored by what Norfolk State University does for the students it serves. 65.0% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 37.4% are first-generation college students — a student body profile that places Norfolk State University squarely in the broad-access tier of public higher education. Graduates earn about $2,196 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Norfolk State University in the 67.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $52,371, a figure shaped by the university's concentration in Business and related fields that feed into regional and national labor markets. Azimuth ranks Norfolk State University #886 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Access and mobility sit at the center of Norfolk State University's composite story. The university's broad admissions posture and high Pell share reflect a deliberate commitment to serving students who are often underrepresented in higher education. Norfolk State University sits in the 92.8 percentile for access and the 84.9 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions, with affordability in the 53.8 percentile — a profile that positions the university as a meaningful pathway for cost-sensitive families seeking a public degree with real labor-market reach.
Norfolk State University's published cost of attendance is $26,633. Net price by income band reflects the institution's public-tuition structure and need-based aid reach: low-income families pay approximately $12,804, middle-income families pay around $15,507, and higher-income families pay approximately $26,175. Azimuth ranks Norfolk State University #659 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Norfolk State participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside state and institutional aid. The institution's aid structure is designed to close the gap between published cost and what families actually pay, though the gap varies by income level. For families evaluating affordability, understanding the difference between sticker price and net price is essential — published cost and actual out-of-pocket expense can differ substantially. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $29,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $19,245; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures. For the typical graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $52,371, median federal debt of $29,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $328 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Norfolk State University is a public university in Norfolk, VA, with a program mix anchored in Business — a good fit for students who want a career-focused public university in the Mid-Atlantic region and are drawn to business, applied professional fields, and stable local labor markets. The earnings case is grounded in access and mobility. Graduates earn median $52,371 four years after enrollment, placing Norfolk State University in the 12.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Norfolk State University sits in the 67.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions — graduates earn about $2,196 more than similar students at comparable institutions. The institution serves a large share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 65.0% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 37.4% are first-generation — and delivers completion outcomes that matter for this population, with a Pell completion rate of 40.6%. Median student debt at graduation is $29,000, a figure that shapes the financial calculus for cost-sensitive families weighing net price against long-run earnings. Fit depends on two realistic filters: students whose interests align with Business and applied professional fields will find the strongest program-level outcomes, and students who plan to remain in the South after graduation will benefit most from the university's regional employer relationships and local labor-market alignment.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the Norfolk State University hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Norfolk State University's program mix is anchored in Business, with additional concentration in Social Sciences and Arts. The university's largest programs by graduate count include Business/Commerce, General (71 graduates), Psychology, General (65 graduates), Sociology (61 graduates), Social Work (57 graduates), and Interdisciplinary Studies (56 graduates).
Together, these programs reflect a portfolio oriented toward applied professional fields and public-sector career pathways common at historically Black universities with strong regional workforce ties. Psychology, General stands out as the program combining meaningful cohort scale with the strongest aggregate earnings contribution at Norfolk State University — the combination of graduate volume and earnings outcomes makes it the institution's primary driver of long-term financial return, as described in [how Azimuth evaluates programs](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/).
Business accounts for 12% of degree output, with Social Sciences representing 12% and Arts at 6%. This distribution reflects an institution that prepares graduates for roles in business, government, and community-oriented services rather than concentrating narrowly in high-wage technical fields.
The labor-market alignment of Norfolk State University's dominant program families is worth considering alongside earnings figures. Business and public-administration-adjacent fields offer graduates relatively stable hiring demand across economic cycles, and the [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides broader context for how these program families track against national wage trends.
Across 23 programs serving roughly 685 students annually, the institution's strength lies in breadth of access to applied professional credentials rather than concentration in a narrow set of high-earning technical specializations.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ball State University Similar quality tier (#10736 ranked) | IN | 86% | $51,833 | #10736 | Compare |
Nevada State University Similar quality tier (#10742 ranked) | NV | 87% | $53,166 | #10742 | Compare |
Stephen F Austin State University Similar quality tier (#10721 ranked) | TX | 94% | $49,634 | #10721 | Compare |
Texas A&M University-Kingsville Similar quality tier (#10743 ranked) | TX | 91% | $51,450 | #10743 | Compare |
New Jersey City University Similar quality tier (#10717 ranked) | NJ | 98% | $52,745 | #10717 | Compare |
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Norfolk State University's published cost of attendance is $26,633. Net price by income band reflects the institution's public-tuition structure and need-based aid reach: low-income families pay approximately $12,804, middle-income families pay around $15,507, and higher-income families pay approximately $26,175.
Azimuth ranks Norfolk State University #659 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Norfolk State participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside state and institutional aid. The institution's aid structure is designed to close the gap between published cost and what families actually pay, though the gap varies by income level.
For families evaluating affordability, understanding the difference between sticker price and net price is essential — [published cost and actual out-of-pocket expense can differ substantially](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/). Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $29,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $19,245; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures.
For the typical graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $52,371, median federal debt of $29,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $328 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Norfolk State University earn median 4-year earnings of $52,371, placing Norfolk State University in the 12.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,196 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Norfolk State University in the 67.2 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Norfolk State University #886 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent meaningful earnings gains relative to VA's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $34,020 — the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential.
The earnings pattern at Norfolk State University is anchored by its dominant Business concentration. Business accounts for 12% of degrees, with Social Sciences and Arts contributing 12% and 6%, respectively.
The highest aggregate-return program is Psychology, General, which combines meaningful cohort scale with solid four-year earnings, making it a key driver of the institution's overall return profile. Among the largest programs by graduate count, Business/Commerce, General (graduating 71 students) and Psychology, General (65 graduates) anchor the degree output, while Sociology and Social Work round out the most frequently completed fields.
Norfolk State University sits in the 14.6 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a [historical 10-year Scorecard measure](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/) not yet updated to the four-year horizon.
