Centra College vs. Bluefield State College

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

 Centra College Bluefield State College
Location Lynchburg, VA Bluefield, WV
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 227 1,306
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #986
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website centrahealth.com bluefieldstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Centra College Bluefield State College
Tuition (In State) $9,240 $8,840
Tuition (Out of State) $9,240 $16,030
Room & Board $9,406 $10,200
Avg Net Price $28,418 $11,759
Avg Grant Aid $6,495 $10,160
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

 Centra College Bluefield State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15 813
Admitted 6 790
Acceptance Rate 40% 97.2%
Enrolled % 50% 33.4%
Avg High School GPA - 3.41
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/22
SAT Range 870/1080
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Centra College Bluefield State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (29%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

 Centra College Bluefield State College
Graduation Rate - 22%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,800 $31,800
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 30%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,042 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $124 $196

Diversity

 Centra College Bluefield State College
% Men 13% 40%
% Women 87% 60%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 65% 85%
% Black 35% 9%
% Hispanic 0% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 1%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 Centra College Bluefield State College
% In-State 100% 54%
% Out-of-State 0% 46%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bluefield State College is larger than than Centra College based on total student enrollment (1,306 students vs. 227 students)

Centra College vs. Bluefield State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Centra College or Bluefield State College?

  • Centra College is 4.5% more expensive to attend than Bluefield State College for in-state tuition ($9,240.00 vs. $8,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 73.5% higher at Bluefield State College than Centra College ($16,030.00 vs. $9,240.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bluefield State College than Centra College ($11,759 vs. $28,418)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Centra College are 8.4% lower than costs at Bluefield State College ($9,406 vs. $10,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Centra College than Bluefield State College (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bluefield State College students is 56.4% larger than aid received Centra College ($10,160 vs. $6,495)

Centra College vs. Bluefield State College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Centra 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 Centra College .

  • Bluefield State College has a higher acceptance rate (97.2%) than Centra College (40%)

Centra College vs. Bluefield State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Centra 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 Centra College.

  • Graduates from Centra College earn on average $13,000 more per year than Bluefield State College graduates after ten years. ($44,800 vs. $31,800)
  • Centra College students graduate with a $6,958 lower median federal student loan debt than Bluefield State College graduates. ($12,042 vs. $19,000)
  • Centra College graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than Bluefield State College graduates. ($124 vs. $196)
  • More Centra College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bluefield State College students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 30%)

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