LEC vs. Fairmont State

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

LEC Fairmont State
Location Painesville, OH Fairmont, WV
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 942 3,307
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #947
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lec.edu fairmontstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

LEC Fairmont State
Tuition (In State) $34,596 $6,468
Tuition (Out of State) $34,596 $16,174
Room & Board $11,592 $11,486
Avg Net Price $22,322 $10,993
Avg Grant Aid $26,289 $7,034
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 92%

Admission

LEC Fairmont State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,193 1,979
Admitted 765 1,964
Acceptance Rate 64.1% 99.2%
Enrolled % 24.4% 34.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.19 3.36
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 17/23
SAT Range 945/1115 830/1040
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026

Academics

LEC Fairmont State
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Agriculture (12%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

LEC Fairmont State
Graduation Rate 53% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,600 $37,600
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $227

Diversity

LEC Fairmont State
% Men 8% 3%
% Women 13% 5%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 86%
% Black 10% 5%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

LEC Fairmont State
% In-State 54% 87%
% Out-of-State 40% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Fairmont State University is larger than than LEC based on total student enrollment (3,307 students vs. 942 students)

LEC vs. Fairmont State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LEC or Fairmont State ?

  • Lake Erie College is 434.9% more expensive to attend than Fairmont State for in-state tuition ($34,596.00 vs. $6,468.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 113.9% higher at LEC than Fairmont State University ($34,596.00 vs. $16,174.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fairmont State University than LEC ($10,993 vs. $22,322)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fairmont State University are 0.9% lower than costs at Lake Erie College ($11,486 vs. $11,592)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Erie College than Fairmont State University (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Erie College students is 273.7% larger than aid received Fairmont State University ($26,289 vs. $7,034)

LEC vs. Fairmont State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lake Erie College (989) is 27 points higher than at Fairmont State (962)
  • Incoming LEC students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at Fairmont State (21)
  • Accepted freshman Fairmont State students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at LEC (3.19)
  • Fairmont State has a higher acceptance rate (99.2%) than LEC (64.1%)

LEC vs. Fairmont State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, LEC or Fairmont State ? 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 Fairmont State and LEC.

  • The graduation rate at LEC is higher than Fairmont State University (53% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Fairmont State University earn on average $1,000 more per year than LEC graduates after ten years. ($37,600 vs. $36,600)
  • Fairmont State University students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than LEC graduates. ($22,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Fairmont State graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than LEC graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
  • More LEC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fairmont State students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 43%)

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