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 1,270 11,027
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #986 #825
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bluefieldstate.edu marshall.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bluefield State College Marshall University
Tuition (In State) $9,240 $7,372
Tuition (Out of State) $16,560 $18,724
Room & Board $11,327 $12,852
Avg Net Price $14,500 $9,734
Avg Grant Aid $9,634 $12,024
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 96%

Admission

Bluefield State College Marshall University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 720 6,499
Admitted 628 6,269
Acceptance Rate 87.2% 96.5%
Enrolled % 34.4% 27.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/22 18/24
SAT Range 870/1080 890/1130
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 17:1 15:1
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 0% 9%
% Women 1% 17%
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% 78%
% Out-of-State 46% 22%

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 (11,027 students vs. 1,270 students)

Bluefield State College vs. Marshall University Cost Comparison

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

  • Bluefield State College is 25.3% more expensive to attend than Marshall University for in-state tuition ($9,240.00 vs. $7,372.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.1% higher at Marshall University than Bluefield State College ($18,724.00 vs. $16,560.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Marshall University than Bluefield State College ($9,734 vs. $14,500)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bluefield State College are 13.5% lower than costs at Marshall University ($11,327 vs. $12,852)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bluefield State College than Marshall University (98% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Marshall University students is 24.8% larger than aid received Bluefield State College ($12,024 vs. $9,634)

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)
  • Marshall University has a higher acceptance rate (96.5%) than Bluefield State College (87.2%)

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/