NSU vs. Fairmont State

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

 NSU Fairmont State
Location Norfolk, VA Fairmont, WV
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 6,045 3,307
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #999 #947
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsu.edu fairmontstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 NSU Fairmont State
Tuition (In State) $5,926 $6,468
Tuition (Out of State) $17,428 $16,174
Room & Board $11,692 $11,486
Avg Net Price $12,272 $10,993
Avg Grant Aid $11,153 $7,034
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 92%

Admission

 NSU Fairmont State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,211 1,979
Admitted 8,931 1,964
Acceptance Rate 87.5% 99.2%
Enrolled % 16.8% 34.3%
Avg High School GPA 2.9 3.36
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/21 17/23
SAT Range 840/1100 830/1040
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline May 31, 2026

Academics

 NSU Fairmont State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

 NSU Fairmont State
Graduation Rate 33% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,700 $37,600
Making Student Loan Payments 27% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $320 $227

Diversity

 NSU Fairmont State
% Men 3% 3%
% Women 5% 5%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 5% 86%
% Black 84% 5%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 NSU Fairmont State
% In-State 65% 87%
% Out-of-State 31% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Norfolk State University is larger than than Fairmont State based on total student enrollment (6,045 students vs. 3,307 students)

NSU vs. Fairmont State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or Fairmont State ?

  • Fairmont State University is 9.1% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($6,468.00 vs. $5,926.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.8% higher at NSU than Fairmont State University ($17,428.00 vs. $16,174.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fairmont State University than NSU ($10,993 vs. $12,272)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fairmont State University are 1.8% lower than costs at Norfolk State University ($11,486 vs. $11,692)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Norfolk State University than Fairmont State University (97% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Norfolk State University students is 58.6% larger than aid received Fairmont State University ($11,153 vs. $7,034)

NSU vs. Fairmont State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Fairmont State University (962) is 154 points higher than at NSU (808)
  • Incoming Fairmont State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at NSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman Fairmont State students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at NSU (2.9)
  • Fairmont State has a higher acceptance rate (99.2%) than NSU (87.5%)

NSU vs. Fairmont State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU 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 NSU.

  • The graduation rate at NSU is the same as at Fairmont State University (33% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Fairmont State University earn on average $900 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($37,600 vs. $36,700)
  • Fairmont State University students graduate with a $9,000 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $31,000)
  • Fairmont State graduates are paying $93 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($227 vs. $320)
  • More Fairmont State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 27%)

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