Carson-Newman College vs. Bluefield State College

Should I go to Carson Newman College or Bluefield State College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Carson-Newman College 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Lincoln Memorial University ETSU Concord University Maryville College Tennessee Cumberland College WVU Tennessee Tech Fairmont State Marshall University GWU JCSU
Carson Newman College vs. Bluefield State College comparison
Carson Newman College Bluefield State College College 3 College 4
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Carson-Newman College Bluefield State College
Location Jefferson City, TN Bluefield, WV
Setting Small Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,735 1,270
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #781 #986
Religious Affiliation Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cn.edu bluefieldstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Carson-Newman College Bluefield State College
Tuition (In State) $32,900 $9,240
Tuition (Out of State) $32,900 $16,560
Room & Board $10,507 $11,327
Avg Net Price $19,755 $14,500
Avg Grant Aid $26,472 $9,634
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

 Carson-Newman College Bluefield State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,991 720
Admitted 2,042 628
Acceptance Rate 68.3% 87.2%
Enrolled % 18% 34.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 17/22
SAT Range 940/1130 870/1080
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, 2026

Academics

 Carson-Newman College Bluefield State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (25%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (5%)
  • Health Professions (29%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

 Carson-Newman College Bluefield State College
Graduation Rate 45% 22%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,700 $31,800
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 30%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,880 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $196

Diversity

 Carson-Newman College Bluefield State College
% Men 9% 0%
% Women 30% 1%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 83% 85%
% Black 8% 9%
% Hispanic 2% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 Carson-Newman College Bluefield State College
% In-State 72% 54%
% Out-of-State 24% 46%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Carson Newman College is larger than than Bluefield State College based on total student enrollment (2,735 students vs. 1,270 students)

Carson-Newman College vs. Bluefield State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carson-Newman College or Bluefield State College?

  • Carson Newman College is 256.1% more expensive to attend than Bluefield State College for in-state tuition ($32,900.00 vs. $9,240.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 98.7% higher at Carson-Newman College than Bluefield State College ($32,900.00 vs. $16,560.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bluefield State College than Carson-Newman College ($14,500 vs. $19,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carson Newman College are 7.8% lower than costs at Bluefield State College ($10,507 vs. $11,327)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Carson Newman College than Bluefield State College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carson Newman College students is 174.8% larger than aid received Bluefield State College ($26,472 vs. $9,634)

Carson-Newman College vs. Bluefield State College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Carson-Newman College 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 Carson-Newman College .

  • The average SAT score at Carson Newman College (1039) is 105 points higher than at Bluefield State College (934)
  • Incoming Carson-Newman College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Bluefield State College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Carson-Newman College students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Bluefield State College (3.41)
  • Bluefield State College has a higher acceptance rate (87.2%) than Carson-Newman College (68.3%)

Carson-Newman College vs. Bluefield State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Carson-Newman College 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 Carson-Newman College.

  • The graduation rate at Carson-Newman College is higher than Bluefield State College (45% vs. 22%)
  • Graduates from Carson Newman College earn on average $9,900 more per year than Bluefield State College graduates after ten years. ($41,700 vs. $31,800)
  • Bluefield State College students graduate with a $4,880 lower median federal student loan debt than Carson-Newman College graduates. ($19,000 vs. $23,880)
  • Bluefield State College graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than Carson-Newman College graduates. ($196 vs. $246)
  • More Carson-Newman College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bluefield State College students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 30%)

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