Fort Valley State University vs. Francis Marion University

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

Fort Valley State University Francis Marion University
Location Fort Valley, GA Florence, SC
Setting Rural Fringe Small Suburban
Enrollment 2,763 4,017
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1014 #895
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fvsu.edu fmarion.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Fort Valley State University Francis Marion University
Tuition (In State) $4,064 $10,384
Tuition (Out of State) $14,786 $20,768
Room & Board $8,372 $8,898
Avg Net Price $11,457 $11,231
Avg Grant Aid $9,432 $11,674
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 98%

Admission

Fort Valley State University Francis Marion University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,080 3,489
Admitted 3,190 2,869
Acceptance Rate 62.8% 82.2%
Enrolled % 23.3% 22%
Avg High School GPA 2.87 3.89
Typical High School Grades B- A-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/19 17/23
SAT Range 795/920 900/1138
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jun 15, 2026

Academics

Fort Valley State University Francis Marion University
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

Fort Valley State University Francis Marion University
Graduation Rate 33% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $32,000 $36,200
Making Student Loan Payments 19% 42%
Median Student Loan Debt $36,500 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $377 $320

Diversity

Fort Valley State University Francis Marion University
% Men 2% 2%
% Women 6% 8%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Very High
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 46%
% Black 94% 47%
% Hispanic 0% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Fort Valley State University Francis Marion University
% In-State 94% 92%
% Out-of-State 6% 6%

Campus

Fort Valley State University Francis Marion University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Francis Marion University is larger than than Fort Valley State University based on total student enrollment (4,017 students vs. 2,763 students)

Fort Valley State University vs. Francis Marion University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fort Valley State University or Francis Marion University?

  • Francis Marion University is 155.5% more expensive to attend than Fort Valley State University for in-state tuition ($10,384.00 vs. $4,064.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 40.5% higher at Francis Marion University than Fort Valley State University ($20,768.00 vs. $14,786.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Francis Marion University than Fort Valley State University ($11,231 vs. $11,457)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fort Valley State University are 6.3% lower than costs at Francis Marion University ($8,372 vs. $8,898)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Francis Marion University than Fort Valley State University (98% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Francis Marion University students is 23.8% larger than aid received Fort Valley State University ($11,674 vs. $9,432)

Fort Valley State University vs. Francis Marion University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Francis Marion University (927) is 62 points higher than at Fort Valley State University (865)
  • Incoming Francis Marion University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at Fort Valley State University (18)
  • Accepted freshman Francis Marion University students have a 1.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Fort Valley State University (2.87)
  • Francis Marion University has a higher acceptance rate (82.2%) than Fort Valley State University (62.8%)

Fort Valley State University vs. Francis Marion University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Fort Valley State University or Francis Marion 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 Francis Marion University and Fort Valley State University.

  • The graduation rate at Francis Marion University is higher than Fort Valley State University (42% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Francis Marion University earn on average $4,200 more per year than Fort Valley State University graduates after ten years. ($36,200 vs. $32,000)
  • Francis Marion University students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Fort Valley State University graduates. ($31,000 vs. $36,500)
  • Francis Marion University graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Fort Valley State University graduates. ($320 vs. $377)
  • More Francis Marion University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fort Valley State University students, three years after graduation. (42% vs. 19%)

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