Pensacola State vs. Fairmont State

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

 Pensacola State Fairmont State
Location Pensacola, FL Fairmont, WV
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 7,981 3,498
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #979
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pensacolastate.edu fairmontstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Pensacola State Fairmont State
Tuition (In State) $1,888 $6,022
Tuition (Out of State) $7,551 $15,638
Room & Board $9,486 $10,022
Avg Net Price $3,305 $10,794
Avg Grant Aid $5,663 $6,547
% Receiving Grant Aid 67% 94%

Admission

 Pensacola State Fairmont State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 1,926
Admitted - 1,897
Acceptance Rate Open 98.5%
Enrolled % Open 37%
Avg High School GPA 2.54 3.36
Typical High School Grades C+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23
SAT Range 820/1050
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 30, 2025

Academics

 Pensacola State Fairmont State
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (53%)
  • Health Professions (25%)
  • Personal and Culinary Services (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (3%)
  • Engineering Technology (3%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

 Pensacola State Fairmont State
Graduation Rate - 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $30,300 $37,600
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $3,500 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $36 $227

Diversity

 Pensacola State Fairmont State
% Men 36% 41%
% Women 64% 59%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 86%
% Black 16% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 Pensacola State Fairmont State
% In-State 94% 88%
% Out-of-State 5% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Pensacola State College is larger than than Fairmont State based on total student enrollment (7,981 students vs. 3,498 students)

Pensacola State vs. Fairmont State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pensacola State or Fairmont State ?

  • Fairmont State University is 219% more expensive to attend than Pensacola State for in-state tuition ($6,022.00 vs. $1,888.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 107.1% higher at Fairmont State than Pensacola State College ($15,638.00 vs. $7,551.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pensacola State College than Fairmont State ($3,305 vs. $10,794)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pensacola State College are 5.7% lower than costs at Fairmont State University ($9,486 vs. $10,022)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Fairmont State University than Pensacola State College (94% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Fairmont State University students is 15.6% larger than aid received Pensacola State College ($6,547 vs. $5,663)

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

  • Accepted freshman Fairmont State students have a 0.82 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at Pensacola State (2.54)

Pensacola State vs. Fairmont State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Pensacola State 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 Pensacola State.

  • Graduates from Fairmont State University earn on average $7,300 more per year than Pensacola State graduates after ten years. ($37,600 vs. $30,300)
  • Pensacola State College students graduate with a $18,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Fairmont State graduates. ($3,500 vs. $22,000)
  • Pensacola State graduates are paying $191 less per month on federal student loans than Fairmont State graduates. ($36 vs. $227)
  • More Pensacola State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fairmont State students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 43%)

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