Bluefield State College vs. Marshall University

Should I go to Bluefield State College or Marshall University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bluefield State College or Marshall University 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. Marshall University comparison
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Marshall University
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Overview

Bluefield State College Marshall University
Location Bluefield, WV Huntington, WV
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 1,306 10,691
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #986 #813
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bluefieldstate.edu marshall.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bluefield State College Marshall University
Tuition (In State) $8,840 $7,190
Tuition (Out of State) $16,030 $18,244
Room & Board $10,200 $11,840
Avg Net Price $11,759 $8,756
Avg Grant Aid $10,160 $11,221
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 96%

Admission

Bluefield State College Marshall University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 813 6,356
Admitted 790 6,158
Acceptance Rate 97.2% 96.9%
Enrolled % 33.4% 25.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/22 19/25
SAT Range 870/1080 930/1150
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025 Aug 10, 2025

Academics

Bluefield State College Marshall University
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (29%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Bluefield State College Marshall University
Graduation Rate 22% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $31,800 $40,200
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $23,134
Median Loan Payment $196 $239

Diversity

Bluefield State College Marshall University
% Men 40% 40%
% Women 60% 60%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 85% 84%
% Black 9% 7%
% Hispanic 1% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Bluefield State College Marshall University
% In-State 54% 79%
% Out-of-State 46% 20%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Marshall University is larger than than Bluefield State College based on total student enrollment (10,691 students vs. 1,306 students)

Bluefield State College vs. Marshall University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bluefield State College or Marshall University?

  • Bluefield State College is 22.9% more expensive to attend than Marshall University for in-state tuition ($8,840.00 vs. $7,190.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.8% higher at Marshall University than Bluefield State College ($18,244.00 vs. $16,030.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Marshall University than Bluefield State College ($8,756 vs. $11,759)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bluefield State College are 16.1% lower than costs at Marshall University ($10,200 vs. $11,840)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Bluefield State College as Marshall University (96% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Marshall University students is 10.4% larger than aid received Bluefield State College ($11,221 vs. $10,160)

Bluefield State College vs. Marshall University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Marshall University (1028) is 94 points higher than at Bluefield State College (934)
  • Incoming Marshall University students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Bluefield State College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Marshall University students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Bluefield State College (3.41)
  • Bluefield State College has a higher acceptance rate (97.2%) than Marshall University (96.9%)

Bluefield State College vs. Marshall University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bluefield State College or Marshall University? 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 Marshall University and Bluefield State College.

  • The graduation rate at Marshall University is higher than Bluefield State College (44% vs. 22%)
  • Graduates from Marshall University earn on average $8,400 more per year than Bluefield State College graduates after ten years. ($40,200 vs. $31,800)
  • Bluefield State College students graduate with a $4,134 lower median federal student loan debt than Marshall University graduates. ($19,000 vs. $23,134)
  • Bluefield State College graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than Marshall University graduates. ($196 vs. $239)
  • More Marshall University 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/