Francis Marion University vs. Bluefield State College

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

Francis Marion University Bluefield State College
Location Florence, SC Bluefield, WV
Setting Small Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 4,045 1,306
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #942 #986
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fmarion.edu bluefieldstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Francis Marion University Bluefield State College
Tuition (In State) $10,384 $8,840
Tuition (Out of State) $20,768 $16,030
Room & Board $8,230 $10,200
Avg Net Price $12,614 $11,759
Avg Grant Aid $10,108 $10,160
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 96%

Admission

Francis Marion University Bluefield State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,523 813
Admitted 2,921 790
Acceptance Rate 82.9% 97.2%
Enrolled % 21% 33.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.41
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/22 17/22
SAT Range 890/1123 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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Francis Marion University Bluefield State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Health Professions (29%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

Francis Marion University Bluefield State College
Graduation Rate 42% 22%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,200 $31,800
Making Student Loan Payments 42% 30%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $320 $196

Diversity

Francis Marion University Bluefield State College
% Men 33% 40%
% Women 67% 60%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 46% 85%
% Black 47% 9%
% Hispanic 2% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Francis Marion University Bluefield State College
% In-State 95% 54%
% Out-of-State 4% 46%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Francis Marion University is larger than than Bluefield State College based on total student enrollment (4,045 students vs. 1,306 students)

Francis Marion University vs. Bluefield State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Francis Marion University or Bluefield State College?

  • Francis Marion University is 17.5% more expensive to attend than Bluefield State College for in-state tuition ($10,384.00 vs. $8,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.6% higher at Francis Marion University than Bluefield State College ($20,768.00 vs. $16,030.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bluefield State College than Francis Marion University ($11,759 vs. $12,614)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Francis Marion University are 23.9% lower than costs at Bluefield State College ($8,230 vs. $10,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Francis Marion University than Bluefield State College (98% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bluefield State College students is 0.5% larger than aid received Francis Marion University ($10,160 vs. $10,108)

Francis Marion University vs. Bluefield State College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Francis Marion University 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 Francis Marion University .

  • The average SAT score at Bluefield State College (934) is 7 points higher than at Francis Marion University (927)
  • Incoming Francis Marion University students have at the same average ACT score (20) as students at Bluefield State College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Francis Marion University students have a 0.48 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Bluefield State College (3.41)
  • Bluefield State College has a higher acceptance rate (97.2%) than Francis Marion University (82.9%)

Francis Marion University vs. Bluefield State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Francis Marion University 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 Francis Marion University.

  • The graduation rate at Francis Marion University is higher than Bluefield State College (42% vs. 22%)
  • Graduates from Francis Marion University earn on average $4,400 more per year than Bluefield State College graduates after ten years. ($36,200 vs. $31,800)
  • Bluefield State College students graduate with a $12,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Francis Marion University graduates. ($19,000 vs. $31,000)
  • Bluefield State College graduates are paying $124 less per month on federal student loans than Francis Marion University graduates. ($196 vs. $320)
  • More Francis Marion University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bluefield State College students, three years after graduation. (42% vs. 30%)

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