Bluefield State College vs. Fairmont State

Should I go to Bluefield State College or Fairmont State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bluefield State College or Fairmont State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Bluefield State College vs. Fairmont State University comparison
Bluefield State College Fairmont State University College 3 College 4
Fairmont State University
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Overview

Bluefield State College Fairmont State
Location Bluefield, WV Fairmont, WV
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 1,306 3,498
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #986 #979
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bluefieldstate.edu fairmontstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bluefield State College Fairmont State
Tuition (In State) $8,840 $6,022
Tuition (Out of State) $16,030 $15,638
Room & Board $10,200 $10,022
Avg Net Price $11,759 $10,794
Avg Grant Aid $10,160 $6,547
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 94%

Admission

Bluefield State College Fairmont State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 813 1,926
Admitted 790 1,897
Acceptance Rate 97.2% 98.5%
Enrolled % 33.4% 37%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/22 18/23
SAT Range 870/1080 820/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Bluefield State College Fairmont State
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (29%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

Bluefield State College Fairmont State
Graduation Rate 22% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $31,800 $37,600
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $196 $227

Diversity

Bluefield State College Fairmont State
% Men 40% 41%
% Women 60% 59%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 85% 86%
% Black 9% 5%
% Hispanic 1% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Bluefield State College Fairmont State
% In-State 54% 88%
% Out-of-State 46% 11%

Campus

Bluefield State College Fairmont State
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Fairmont State University is larger than than Bluefield State College based on total student enrollment (3,498 students vs. 1,306 students)

Bluefield State College vs. Fairmont State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bluefield State College or Fairmont State ?

  • Bluefield State College is 46.8% more expensive to attend than Fairmont State for in-state tuition ($8,840.00 vs. $6,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.5% higher at Bluefield State College than Fairmont State University ($16,030.00 vs. $15,638.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fairmont State University than Bluefield State College ($10,794 vs. $11,759)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fairmont State University are 1.8% lower than costs at Bluefield State College ($10,022 vs. $10,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bluefield State College than Fairmont State University (96% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bluefield State College students is 55.2% larger than aid received Fairmont State University ($10,160 vs. $6,547)

Bluefield State College vs. Fairmont State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bluefield State College or Fairmont State ? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Fairmont State or Bluefield State College .

  • The average SAT score at Fairmont State University (962) is 28 points higher than at Bluefield State College (934)
  • Incoming Fairmont State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Bluefield State College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Bluefield State College students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Fairmont State (3.36)
  • Fairmont State has a higher acceptance rate (98.5%) than Bluefield State College (97.2%)

Bluefield State College vs. Fairmont State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bluefield State College or Fairmont State ? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Fairmont State and Bluefield State College.

  • The graduation rate at Fairmont State is higher than Bluefield State College (33% vs. 22%)
  • Graduates from Fairmont State University earn on average $5,800 more per year than Bluefield State College graduates after ten years. ($37,600 vs. $31,800)
  • Bluefield State College students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Fairmont State graduates. ($19,000 vs. $22,000)
  • Bluefield State College graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Fairmont State graduates. ($196 vs. $227)
  • More Fairmont State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bluefield State College students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 30%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/