South Carolina State University vs. Fairmont State

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

South Carolina State University Fairmont State
Location Orangeburg, SC Fairmont, WV
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 3,041 3,307
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1011 #947
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website scsu.edu fairmontstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

South Carolina State University Fairmont State
Tuition (In State) $9,528 $6,468
Tuition (Out of State) $20,218 $16,174
Room & Board $9,000 $11,486
Avg Net Price $17,928 $10,993
Avg Grant Aid $12,130 $7,034
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 92%

Admission

South Carolina State University Fairmont State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,830 1,979
Admitted 8,034 1,964
Acceptance Rate 81.7% 99.2%
Enrolled % 13.4% 34.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.17 3.36
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/19 17/23
SAT Range 800/1050 830/1040
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jul 31, 2026

Academics

South Carolina State University Fairmont State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

South Carolina State University Fairmont State
Graduation Rate 35% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $31,000 $37,600
Making Student Loan Payments 27% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $33,205 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $343 $227

Diversity

South Carolina State University Fairmont State
% Men 3% 3%
% Women 6% 5%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Very Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 86%
% Black 96% 5%
% Hispanic 0% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

South Carolina State University Fairmont State
% In-State 73% 87%
% Out-of-State 26% 11%

Campus

South Carolina State University 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 South Carolina State University based on total student enrollment (3,307 students vs. 3,041 students)

South Carolina State University vs. Fairmont State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, South Carolina State University or Fairmont State ?

  • South Carolina State University is 47.3% more expensive to attend than Fairmont State for in-state tuition ($9,528.00 vs. $6,468.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25% higher at South Carolina State University than Fairmont State University ($20,218.00 vs. $16,174.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fairmont State University than South Carolina State University ($10,993 vs. $17,928)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at South Carolina State University are 27.6% lower than costs at Fairmont State University ($9,000 vs. $11,486)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at South Carolina State University than Fairmont State University (94% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by South Carolina State University students is 72.4% larger than aid received Fairmont State University ($12,130 vs. $7,034)

South Carolina State University vs. Fairmont State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Fairmont State University (962) is 202 points higher than at South Carolina State University (760)
  • Incoming Fairmont State students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at South Carolina State University (16)
  • Accepted freshman Fairmont State students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at South Carolina State University (3.17)
  • Fairmont State has a higher acceptance rate (99.2%) than South Carolina State University (81.7%)

South Carolina State University vs. Fairmont State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, South Carolina State University 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 South Carolina State University.

  • The graduation rate at South Carolina State University is higher than Fairmont State University (35% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Fairmont State University earn on average $6,600 more per year than South Carolina State University graduates after ten years. ($37,600 vs. $31,000)
  • Fairmont State University students graduate with a $11,205 lower median federal student loan debt than South Carolina State University graduates. ($22,000 vs. $33,205)
  • Fairmont State graduates are paying $116 less per month on federal student loans than South Carolina State University graduates. ($227 vs. $343)
  • More Fairmont State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former South Carolina State University 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/