BGSU vs. Fairmont State

Should I go to Bowling Green State University Main Campus or Fairmont State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BGSU 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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Bowling Green State University Main Campus vs. Fairmont State University comparison
Bowling Green State University Main Campus Fairmont State University College 3 College 4
Bowling Green State University Main Campus Fairmont State University
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Overview

 BGSU Fairmont State
Location Bowling Green, OH Fairmont, WV
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 16,920 3,498
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #728 #979
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bgsu.edu fairmontstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BGSU Fairmont State
Tuition (In State) $11,272 $6,022
Tuition (Out of State) $19,845 $15,638
Room & Board $12,584 $10,022
Avg Net Price $20,485 $10,794
Avg Grant Aid $8,898 $6,547
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 94%

Admission

 BGSU Fairmont State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,447 1,926
Admitted 13,723 1,897
Acceptance Rate 78.7% 98.5%
Enrolled % 21.4% 37%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 18/23
SAT Range 990/1200 820/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025

Academics

 BGSU Fairmont State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

 BGSU Fairmont State
Graduation Rate 58% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,600 $37,600
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $227

Diversity

 BGSU Fairmont State
% Men 42% 41%
% Women 58% 59%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 86%
% Black 10% 5%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 BGSU Fairmont State
% In-State 88% 88%
% Out-of-State 11% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is larger than than Fairmont State based on total student enrollment (16,920 students vs. 3,498 students)

BGSU vs. Fairmont State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BGSU or Fairmont State ?

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is 87.2% more expensive to attend than Fairmont State for in-state tuition ($11,272.00 vs. $6,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.9% higher at BGSU than Fairmont State University ($19,845.00 vs. $15,638.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fairmont State University than BGSU ($10,794 vs. $20,485)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fairmont State University are 25.6% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($10,022 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bowling Green State University Main Campus than Fairmont State University (95% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bowling Green State University Main Campus students is 35.9% larger than aid received Fairmont State University ($8,898 vs. $6,547)

BGSU vs. Fairmont State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Bowling Green State University Main Campus (1012) is 50 points higher than at Fairmont State (962)
  • Incoming BGSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Fairmont State (21)
  • Accepted freshman BGSU students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Fairmont State (3.36)
  • Fairmont State has a higher acceptance rate (98.5%) than BGSU (78.7%)

BGSU vs. Fairmont State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BGSU 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 BGSU.

  • The graduation rate at BGSU is higher than Fairmont State University (58% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Bowling Green State University Main Campus earn on average $6,000 more per year than Fairmont State graduates after ten years. ($43,600 vs. $37,600)
  • Fairmont State University students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $26,000)
  • Fairmont State graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($227 vs. $268)
  • More BGSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fairmont State students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 43%)

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