Paine College vs. Francis Marion University

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

Paine College Francis Marion University
Location Augusta, GA Florence, SC
Setting Midsize City Small Suburban
Enrollment 310 4,045
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #942
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website paine.edu fmarion.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Paine College Francis Marion University
Tuition (In State) $12,706 $10,384
Tuition (Out of State) $12,706 $20,768
Room & Board $7,512 $8,230
Avg Net Price $15,877 $12,614
Avg Grant Aid $11,755 $10,108
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Paine College Francis Marion University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,302 3,523
Admitted 1,701 2,921
Acceptance Rate 51.5% 82.9%
Enrolled % 5.3% 21%
Avg High School GPA 2.81 3.89
Typical High School Grades B- A-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/19 15/22
SAT Range 776/976 890/1123
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025

Academics

Paine College Francis Marion University
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (16%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

Paine College Francis Marion University
Graduation Rate 27% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $28,400 $36,200
Making Student Loan Payments 15% 42%
Median Student Loan Debt $35,750 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $369 $320

Diversity

Paine College Francis Marion University
% Men 43% 33%
% Women 57% 67%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 46%
% Black 89% 47%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Paine College Francis Marion University
% In-State 71% 95%
% Out-of-State 28% 4%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Francis Marion University is larger than than Paine College based on total student enrollment (4,045 students vs. 310 students)

Paine College vs. Francis Marion University Cost Comparison

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

  • Paine College is 22.4% more expensive to attend than Francis Marion University for in-state tuition ($12,706.00 vs. $10,384.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 63.5% higher at Francis Marion University than Paine College ($20,768.00 vs. $12,706.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Francis Marion University than Paine College ($12,614 vs. $15,877)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Paine College are 9.6% lower than costs at Francis Marion University ($7,512 vs. $8,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Paine College than Francis Marion University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Paine College students is 16.3% larger than aid received Francis Marion University ($11,755 vs. $10,108)

Paine College vs. Francis Marion University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Francis Marion University (927) is 178 points higher than at Paine College (749)
  • Incoming Francis Marion University students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at Paine College (16)
  • Accepted freshman Francis Marion University students have a 1.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Paine College (2.81)
  • Francis Marion University has a higher acceptance rate (82.9%) than Paine College (51.5%)

Paine College vs. Francis Marion University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Paine College or Francis Marion University? 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 Francis Marion University and Paine College.

  • The graduation rate at Francis Marion University is higher than Paine College (42% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from Francis Marion University earn on average $7,800 more per year than Paine College graduates after ten years. ($36,200 vs. $28,400)
  • Francis Marion University students graduate with a $4,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Paine College graduates. ($31,000 vs. $35,750)
  • Francis Marion University graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Paine College graduates. ($320 vs. $369)
  • More Francis Marion University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Paine College students, three years after graduation. (42% vs. 15%)

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