Francis Marion University vs. University of Houston-Downtown

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

Francis Marion University University of Houston-Downtown
Location Florence, SC Houston, TX
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 4,045 14,208
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #942 #951
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fmarion.edu uhd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Francis Marion University University of Houston-Downtown
Tuition (In State) $10,384 $6,252
Tuition (Out of State) $20,768 $16,068
Room & Board $8,230 $9,882
Avg Net Price $12,614 $14,911
Avg Grant Aid $10,108 $7,849
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 85%

Admission

Francis Marion University University of Houston-Downtown
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,523 6,131
Admitted 2,921 5,421
Acceptance Rate 82.9% 88.4%Open
Enrolled % 21% 25.3%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.29
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/22 16/20
SAT Range 890/1123 960/1100
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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

Francis Marion University University of Houston-Downtown
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Business (40%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Francis Marion University University of Houston-Downtown
Graduation Rate 42% 15%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,200 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 42% 41%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $18,750
Median Loan Payment $320 $193

Diversity

Francis Marion University University of Houston-Downtown
% Men 33% 37%
% Women 67% 63%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 17%
% Black 47% 23%
% Hispanic 2% 43%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Francis Marion University University of Houston-Downtown
% In-State 95% 99%
% Out-of-State 4% 1%

Campus

Francis Marion University University of Houston-Downtown
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Houston Downtown is larger than than Francis Marion University based on total student enrollment (14,208 students vs. 4,045 students)

Francis Marion University vs. University of Houston-Downtown Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Francis Marion University or University of Houston-Downtown?

  • Francis Marion University is 66.1% more expensive to attend than University of Houston-Downtown for in-state tuition ($10,384.00 vs. $6,252.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.3% higher at Francis Marion University than University of Houston Downtown ($20,768.00 vs. $16,068.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Francis Marion University than University of Houston-Downtown ($12,614 vs. $14,911)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Francis Marion University are 20.1% lower than costs at University of Houston Downtown ($8,230 vs. $9,882)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Francis Marion University than University of Houston Downtown (98% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Francis Marion University students is 28.8% larger than aid received University of Houston Downtown ($10,108 vs. $7,849)

Francis Marion University vs. University of Houston-Downtown Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Francis Marion University (927) is 33 points higher than at University of Houston-Downtown (894)
  • Incoming Francis Marion University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at University of Houston-Downtown (18)
  • Accepted freshman Francis Marion University students have a 0.6 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at University of Houston-Downtown (3.29)
  • University of Houston-Downtown has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than Francis Marion University (82.9%)

Francis Marion University vs. University of Houston-Downtown Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Francis Marion University or University of Houston-Downtown? 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 University of Houston-Downtown and Francis Marion University.

  • The graduation rate at Francis Marion University is higher than University of Houston Downtown (42% vs. 15%)
  • Graduates from University of Houston Downtown earn on average $11,200 more per year than Francis Marion University graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $36,200)
  • University of Houston Downtown students graduate with a $12,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Francis Marion University graduates. ($18,750 vs. $31,000)
  • University of Houston-Downtown graduates are paying $127 less per month on federal student loans than Francis Marion University graduates. ($193 vs. $320)
  • More Francis Marion University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Houston-Downtown students, three years after graduation. (42% vs. 41%)

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