Fairmont State vs. UW-Eau Claire

Should I go to Fairmont State University or University of Wisconsin Eau Claire? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Fairmont State or UW-Eau Claire 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. University of Wisconsin Eau Claire comparison
Fairmont State University University of Wisconsin Eau Claire College 3 College 4
Fairmont State University University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
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Overview

Fairmont State UW-Eau Claire
Location Fairmont, WV Eau Claire, WI
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 3,498 10,104
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #979 #565
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fairmontstate.edu uwec.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Fairmont State UW-Eau Claire
Tuition (In State) $6,022 $7,361
Tuition (Out of State) $15,638 $16,074
Room & Board $10,022 $9,014
Avg Net Price $10,794 $15,000
Avg Grant Aid $6,547 $4,251
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 76%

Admission

Fairmont State UW-Eau Claire
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,926 10,403
Admitted 1,897 7,971
Acceptance Rate 98.5% 76.6%
Enrolled % 37% 26.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.59
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23 21/26
SAT Range 820/1050
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Fairmont State UW-Eau Claire
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Fairmont State UW-Eau Claire
Graduation Rate 33% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,600 $47,900
Making Student Loan Payments 43% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $227 $240

Diversity

Fairmont State UW-Eau Claire
% Men 41% 40%
% Women 59% 60%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 86% 89%
% Black 5% 1%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Fairmont State UW-Eau Claire
% In-State 88% 64%
% Out-of-State 11% 35%

Campus

Fairmont State UW-Eau Claire
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Wisconsin Eau Claire is larger than than Fairmont State based on total student enrollment (10,104 students vs. 3,498 students)

Fairmont State vs. UW-Eau Claire Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fairmont State or UW-Eau Claire?

  • University of Wisconsin Eau Claire is 22.2% more expensive to attend than Fairmont State for in-state tuition ($7,361.00 vs. $6,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.8% higher at UW-Eau Claire than Fairmont State University ($16,074.00 vs. $15,638.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fairmont State University than UW-Eau Claire ($10,794 vs. $15,000)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire are 11.2% lower than costs at Fairmont State University ($9,014 vs. $10,022)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Fairmont State University than University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (94% vs. 76%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Fairmont State University students is 54% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Eau Claire ($6,547 vs. $4,251)

Fairmont State vs. UW-Eau Claire Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (1110) is 148 points higher than at Fairmont State (962)
  • Incoming UW-Eau Claire students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Fairmont State (21)
  • Accepted freshman UW-Eau Claire students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at Fairmont State (3.36)
  • Fairmont State has a higher acceptance rate (98.5%) than UW-Eau Claire (76.6%)

Fairmont State vs. UW-Eau Claire Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Fairmont State or UW-Eau Claire? 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 UW-Eau Claire and Fairmont State .

  • The graduation rate at UW-Eau Claire is higher than Fairmont State University (65% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Eau Claire earn on average $10,300 more per year than Fairmont State graduates after ten years. ($47,900 vs. $37,600)
  • Fairmont State University students graduate with a $1,250 lower median federal student loan debt than UW-Eau Claire graduates. ($22,000 vs. $23,250)
  • Fairmont State graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than UW-Eau Claire graduates. ($227 vs. $240)
  • More UW-Eau Claire graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fairmont State students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 43%)

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