IU Northwest vs. Fairmont State

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

 IU Northwest Fairmont State
Location Gary, IN Fairmont, WV
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 3,198 3,498
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #882 #979
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iun.edu fairmontstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IU Northwest Fairmont State
Tuition (In State) $7,274 $6,022
Tuition (Out of State) $20,634 $15,638
Room & Board $9,412 $10,022
Avg Net Price $6,553 $10,794
Avg Grant Aid $8,754 $6,547
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 94%

Admission

 IU Northwest Fairmont State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,915 1,926
Admitted 1,538 1,897
Acceptance Rate 80.3% 98.5%
Enrolled % 27.3% 37%
Avg High School GPA 3.14 3.36
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 18/23
SAT Range 950/1170 820/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

 IU Northwest Fairmont State
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (33%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

 IU Northwest Fairmont State
Graduation Rate 23% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,500 $37,600
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,030 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $227

Diversity

 IU Northwest Fairmont State
% Men 25% 41%
% Women 75% 59%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 86%
% Black 18% 5%
% Hispanic 20% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 IU Northwest Fairmont State
% In-State 97% 88%
% Out-of-State 2% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Fairmont State University is larger than than IU Northwest based on total student enrollment (3,498 students vs. 3,198 students)

IU Northwest vs. Fairmont State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU Northwest or Fairmont State ?

  • Indiana University Northwest is 20.8% more expensive to attend than Fairmont State for in-state tuition ($7,274.00 vs. $6,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31.9% higher at IU Northwest than Fairmont State University ($20,634.00 vs. $15,638.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Northwest than Fairmont State ($6,553 vs. $10,794)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Northwest are 6.5% lower than costs at Fairmont State University ($9,412 vs. $10,022)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Fairmont State University than Indiana University Northwest (94% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Indiana University Northwest students is 33.7% larger than aid received Fairmont State University ($8,754 vs. $6,547)

IU Northwest vs. Fairmont State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Fairmont State University (962) is 34 points higher than at IU Northwest (928)
  • Incoming Fairmont State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at IU Northwest (20)
  • Accepted freshman Fairmont State students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at IU Northwest (3.14)
  • Fairmont State has a higher acceptance rate (98.5%) than IU Northwest (80.3%)

IU Northwest vs. Fairmont State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU Northwest 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 IU Northwest.

  • The graduation rate at Fairmont State is higher than Indiana University Northwest (33% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Indiana University Northwest earn on average $1,900 more per year than Fairmont State graduates after ten years. ($39,500 vs. $37,600)
  • Fairmont State University students graduate with a $3,030 lower median federal student loan debt than IU Northwest graduates. ($22,000 vs. $25,030)
  • Fairmont State graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than IU Northwest graduates. ($227 vs. $258)
  • More Fairmont State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU Northwest students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 33%)

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