TSU vs. Fairmont State

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

TSU Fairmont State
Location Houston, TX Fairmont, WV
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 8,632 3,498
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1017 #979
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website tsu.edu fairmontstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

TSU Fairmont State
Tuition (In State) $7,437 $6,022
Tuition (Out of State) $19,677 $15,638
Room & Board $9,664 $10,022
Avg Net Price $11,826 $10,794
Avg Grant Aid $12,085 $6,547
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 94%

Admission

TSU Fairmont State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,582 1,926
Admitted 8,307 1,897
Acceptance Rate 96.8% 98.5%
Enrolled % 28.6% 37%
Avg High School GPA 3.0 3.36
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/19 18/23
SAT Range 820/1000 820/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025

Academics

TSU Fairmont State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

TSU Fairmont State
Graduation Rate 12% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,200 $37,600
Making Student Loan Payments 22% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $29,358 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $303 $227

Diversity

TSU Fairmont State
% Men 35% 41%
% Women 65% 59%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 86%
% Black 80% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 8% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

TSU Fairmont State
% In-State 77% 88%
% Out-of-State 22% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Texas Southern University is larger than than Fairmont State based on total student enrollment (8,632 students vs. 3,498 students)

TSU vs. Fairmont State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TSU or Fairmont State ?

  • Texas Southern University is 23.5% more expensive to attend than Fairmont State for in-state tuition ($7,437.00 vs. $6,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.8% higher at TSU than Fairmont State University ($19,677.00 vs. $15,638.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fairmont State University than TSU ($10,794 vs. $11,826)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Texas Southern University are 3.7% lower than costs at Fairmont State University ($9,664 vs. $10,022)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Texas Southern University than Fairmont State University (99% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Texas Southern University students is 84.6% larger than aid received Fairmont State University ($12,085 vs. $6,547)

TSU vs. Fairmont State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Fairmont State University (962) is 145 points higher than at TSU (817)
  • Incoming Fairmont State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at TSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman Fairmont State students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at TSU (3.0)
  • Fairmont State has a higher acceptance rate (98.5%) than TSU (96.8%)

TSU vs. Fairmont State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, TSU 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 TSU.

  • The graduation rate at Fairmont State is higher than Texas Southern University (33% vs. 12%)
  • Graduates from Fairmont State University earn on average $1,400 more per year than TSU graduates after ten years. ($37,600 vs. $36,200)
  • Fairmont State University students graduate with a $7,358 lower median federal student loan debt than TSU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $29,358)
  • Fairmont State graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than TSU graduates. ($227 vs. $303)
  • More Fairmont State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TSU students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 22%)

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