PennWest California vs. Ferrum College

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

PennWest California Ferrum College
Location California, PA Ferrum, VA
Setting Town Fringe Distant Rural
Enrollment 6,509 855
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1033
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu ferrum.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California Ferrum College
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $37,400
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $37,400
Room & Board $10,416 $13,230
Avg Net Price - $25,558
Avg Grant Aid $0 $26,580
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 94%

Admission

PennWest California Ferrum College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 1,452
Admitted - 1,224
Acceptance Rate 84.3%
Enrolled % 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.14
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 940/1150 900/1110
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025 Sep 15, 2024

Academics

PennWest California Ferrum College
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

PennWest California Ferrum College
Graduation Rate 53% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 49%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $28,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $289

Diversity

PennWest California Ferrum College
% Men 39% 58%
% Women 61% 42%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 52%
% Black 12% 34%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

PennWest California Ferrum College
% In-State 86% 64%
% Out-of-State 13% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than Ferrum College based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 855 students)

PennWest California vs. Ferrum College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or Ferrum College?

  • Ferrum College is 384.7% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($37,400.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 223.1% higher at Ferrum College than PennWest California ($37,400.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 27% lower than costs at Ferrum College ($10,416 vs. $13,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ferrum College than PennWest California (94% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ferrum College students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($26,580 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at PennWest California (922) is 41 points higher than at Ferrum College (881)
  • Incoming PennWest California students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at Ferrum College (18)
  • Accepted freshman PennWest California students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Ferrum College (3.14)

PennWest California vs. Ferrum College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California or Ferrum 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 Ferrum College and PennWest California.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest California is higher than Ferrum College (53% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from PennWest California earn on average $3,500 more per year than Ferrum College graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $39,000)
  • PennWest California students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Ferrum College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $28,000)
  • PennWest California graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Ferrum College graduates. ($258 vs. $289)
  • More PennWest California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ferrum College students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 49%)

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