CAU vs. Bluefield State College

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

 CAU Bluefield State College
Location Atlanta, GA Bluefield, WV
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 4,000 1,306
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #971 #986
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cau.edu bluefieldstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CAU Bluefield State College
Tuition (In State) $21,948 $8,840
Tuition (Out of State) $21,948 $16,030
Room & Board $10,982 $10,200
Avg Net Price $30,015 $11,759
Avg Grant Aid $9,431 $10,160
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 96%

Admission

 CAU Bluefield State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,153 813
Admitted 9,088 790
Acceptance Rate 56.3% 97.2%
Enrolled % 12.7% 33.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.41
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/20 17/22
SAT Range 880/1120 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 Apr 1, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 CAU Bluefield State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (26%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Health Professions (29%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

 CAU Bluefield State College
Graduation Rate 41% 22%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $31,800
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 30%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $320 $196

Diversity

 CAU Bluefield State College
% Men 24% 40%
% Women 76% 60%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU Yes Yes
% White 0% 85%
% Black 84% 9%
% Hispanic 0% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 1%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 13% 1%

Students

 CAU Bluefield State College
% In-State 27% 54%
% Out-of-State 72% 46%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Clark Atlanta University is larger than than Bluefield State College based on total student enrollment (4,000 students vs. 1,306 students)

CAU vs. Bluefield State College Cost Comparison

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

  • Clark Atlanta University is 148.3% more expensive to attend than Bluefield State College for in-state tuition ($21,948.00 vs. $8,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 36.9% higher at CAU than Bluefield State College ($21,948.00 vs. $16,030.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bluefield State College than CAU ($11,759 vs. $30,015)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bluefield State College are 7.7% lower than costs at Clark Atlanta University ($10,200 vs. $10,982)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bluefield State College than Clark Atlanta University (96% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bluefield State College students is 7.7% larger than aid received Clark Atlanta University ($10,160 vs. $9,431)

CAU vs. Bluefield State College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CAU 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 CAU .

  • The average SAT score at Bluefield State College (934) is 84 points higher than at CAU (850)
  • Incoming Bluefield State College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at CAU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Bluefield State College students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at CAU (3.28)
  • Bluefield State College has a higher acceptance rate (97.2%) than CAU (56.3%)

CAU vs. Bluefield State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CAU 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 CAU.

  • The graduation rate at CAU is higher than Bluefield State College (41% vs. 22%)
  • Graduates from Clark Atlanta University earn on average $6,600 more per year than Bluefield State College graduates after ten years. ($38,400 vs. $31,800)
  • Bluefield State College students graduate with a $12,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CAU graduates. ($19,000 vs. $31,000)
  • Bluefield State College graduates are paying $124 less per month on federal student loans than CAU graduates. ($196 vs. $320)
  • More CAU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bluefield State College students, three years after graduation. (30% vs. 30%)

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