Fairmont State vs. Shepherd University

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

Fairmont State Shepherd University
Location Fairmont, WV Shepherdstown, WV
Setting Distant Town Town Fringe
Enrollment 3,307 3,318
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #947 #884
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fairmontstate.edu shepherd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Fairmont State Shepherd University
Tuition (In State) $6,468 $6,288
Tuition (Out of State) $16,174 $15,774
Room & Board $11,486 $11,308
Avg Net Price $10,993 $12,651
Avg Grant Aid $7,034 $8,183
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 95%

Admission

Fairmont State Shepherd University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,979 1,793
Admitted 1,964 1,715
Acceptance Rate 99.2% 95.6%
Enrolled % 34.3% 33%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23 20/24
SAT Range 830/1040 900/1140
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

Fairmont State Shepherd University
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Fairmont State Shepherd University
Graduation Rate 33% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,600 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 43% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $22,223
Median Loan Payment $227 $229

Diversity

Fairmont State Shepherd University
% Men 3% 3%
% Women 5% 9%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 86% 82%
% Black 5% 10%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Fairmont State Shepherd University
% In-State 87% 72%
% Out-of-State 11% 27%

Campus

Fairmont State Shepherd University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Shepherd University is larger than than Fairmont State based on total student enrollment (3,318 students vs. 3,307 students)

Fairmont State vs. Shepherd University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fairmont State or Shepherd University?

  • Fairmont State University is 2.9% more expensive to attend than Shepherd University for in-state tuition ($6,468.00 vs. $6,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.5% higher at Fairmont State than Shepherd University ($16,174.00 vs. $15,774.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fairmont State University than Shepherd University ($10,993 vs. $12,651)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shepherd University are 1.6% lower than costs at Fairmont State University ($11,308 vs. $11,486)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shepherd University than Fairmont State University (95% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shepherd University students is 16.3% larger than aid received Fairmont State University ($8,183 vs. $7,034)

Fairmont State vs. Shepherd University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Shepherd University (995) is 33 points higher than at Fairmont State (962)
  • Incoming Shepherd University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Fairmont State (21)
  • Accepted freshman Shepherd University students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Fairmont State (3.36)
  • Fairmont State has a higher acceptance rate (99.2%) than Shepherd University (95.6%)

Fairmont State vs. Shepherd University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Fairmont State or Shepherd University? 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 Shepherd University and Fairmont State .

  • The graduation rate at Shepherd University is higher than Fairmont State University (46% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Shepherd University earn on average $3,900 more per year than Fairmont State graduates after ten years. ($41,500 vs. $37,600)
  • Fairmont State University students graduate with a $223 lower median federal student loan debt than Shepherd University graduates. ($22,000 vs. $22,223)
  • Fairmont State graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Shepherd University graduates. ($227 vs. $229)
  • More Shepherd University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fairmont State students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 43%)

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