PennWest California vs. Bluefield State College

Should I go to PennWest California or Bluefield State College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PennWest California or Bluefield State College 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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PennWest California vs. Bluefield State College comparison
PennWest California Bluefield State College College 3 College 4
PennWest California
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Overview

PennWest California Bluefield State College
Location California, PA Bluefield, WV
Setting Town Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 6,509 1,306
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1033 #986
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu bluefieldstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California Bluefield State College
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $8,840
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $16,030
Room & Board $10,416 $10,200
Avg Net Price - $11,759
Avg Grant Aid $0 $10,160
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 96%

Admission

PennWest California Bluefield State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 813
Admitted - 790
Acceptance Rate 97.2%
Enrolled % 33.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 17/22
SAT Range 940/1150 870/1080
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

PennWest California Bluefield State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Health Professions (29%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

PennWest California Bluefield State College
Graduation Rate 53% 22%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $31,800
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 30%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $196

Diversity

PennWest California Bluefield State College
% Men 39% 40%
% Women 61% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 77% 85%
% Black 12% 9%
% Hispanic 3% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

PennWest California Bluefield State College
% In-State 86% 54%
% Out-of-State 13% 46%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than Bluefield State College based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 1,306 students)

PennWest California vs. Bluefield State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or Bluefield State College?

  • Bluefield State College is 14.6% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($8,840.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38.5% higher at Bluefield State College than PennWest California ($16,030.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bluefield State College are 2.1% lower than costs at PennWest California ($10,200 vs. $10,416)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bluefield State College than PennWest California (96% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bluefield State College students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($10,160 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at Bluefield State College (934) is 12 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming PennWest California students have at the same average ACT score (20) as students at Bluefield State College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Bluefield State College students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at PennWest California (3.31)

PennWest California vs. Bluefield State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California or Bluefield State College? 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 Bluefield State College and PennWest California.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest California is higher than Bluefield State College (53% vs. 22%)
  • Graduates from PennWest California earn on average $10,700 more per year than Bluefield State College graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $31,800)
  • Bluefield State College students graduate with a $6,000 lower median federal student loan debt than PennWest California graduates. ($19,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Bluefield State College graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than PennWest California graduates. ($196 vs. $258)
  • More PennWest California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bluefield State College students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 30%)

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