Henderson State University vs. Bluefield State College

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

Henderson State University Bluefield State College
Location Arkadelphia, AR Bluefield, WV
Setting Distant Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,519 1,306
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #976 #986
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hsu.edu bluefieldstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Henderson State University Bluefield State College
Tuition (In State) $5,880 $8,840
Tuition (Out of State) $8,088 $16,030
Room & Board $9,558 $10,200
Avg Net Price $17,656 $11,759
Avg Grant Aid $9,580 $10,160
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 96%

Admission

Henderson State University Bluefield State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,345 813
Admitted 1,657 790
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 97.2%
Enrolled % 24.9% 33.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.41
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/21 17/22
SAT Range 903/1073 870/1080
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Henderson State University Bluefield State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Health Professions (29%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

Henderson State University Bluefield State College
Graduation Rate 31% 22%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $31,800
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 30%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $196

Diversity

Henderson State University Bluefield State College
% Men 40% 40%
% Women 60% 60%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 66% 85%
% Black 24% 9%
% Hispanic 4% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 1%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Henderson State University Bluefield State College
% In-State 81% 54%
% Out-of-State 19% 46%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Henderson State University is larger than than Bluefield State College based on total student enrollment (2,519 students vs. 1,306 students)

Henderson State University vs. Bluefield State College Cost Comparison

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

  • Bluefield State College is 50.3% more expensive to attend than Henderson State University for in-state tuition ($8,840.00 vs. $5,880.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 98.2% higher at Bluefield State College than Henderson State University ($16,030.00 vs. $8,088.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bluefield State College than Henderson State University ($11,759 vs. $17,656)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Henderson State University are 6.7% lower than costs at Bluefield State College ($9,558 vs. $10,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bluefield State College than Henderson State University (96% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bluefield State College students is 6.1% larger than aid received Henderson State University ($10,160 vs. $9,580)

Henderson State University vs. Bluefield State College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Henderson State 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 Henderson State University .

  • The average SAT score at Henderson State University (988) is 54 points higher than at Bluefield State College (934)
  • Incoming Henderson State University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Bluefield State College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Bluefield State College students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Henderson State University (3.23)
  • Bluefield State College has a higher acceptance rate (97.2%) than Henderson State University (70.7%)

Henderson State University vs. Bluefield State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Henderson State 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 Henderson State University.

  • The graduation rate at Henderson State University is higher than Bluefield State College (31% vs. 22%)
  • Graduates from Henderson State University earn on average $6,600 more per year than Bluefield State College graduates after ten years. ($38,400 vs. $31,800)
  • Bluefield State College students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than Henderson State University graduates. ($19,000 vs. $19,500)
  • Bluefield State College graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Henderson State University graduates. ($196 vs. $201)
  • More Henderson State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bluefield State College students, three years after graduation. (48% vs. 30%)

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