BSU vs. Fairmont State

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

 BSU Fairmont State
Location Muncie, IN Fairmont, WV
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 19,777 3,498
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #979
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu fairmontstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU Fairmont State
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $6,022
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $15,638
Room & Board $10,904 $10,022
Avg Net Price $12,615 $10,794
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $6,547
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 94%

Admission

 BSU Fairmont State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 1,926
Admitted 15,761 1,897
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 98.5%
Enrolled % 22.1% 37%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 18/23
SAT Range 1090/1260 820/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

 BSU Fairmont State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

 BSU Fairmont State
Graduation Rate 55% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $37,600
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $227

Diversity

 BSU Fairmont State
% Men 35% 41%
% Women 65% 59%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 86%
% Black 8% 5%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 BSU Fairmont State
% In-State 90% 88%
% Out-of-State 9% 11%

Campus

 BSU 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

  • Ball State University is larger than than Fairmont State based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 3,498 students)

BSU vs. Fairmont State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or Fairmont State ?

  • Ball State University is 40.1% more expensive to attend than Fairmont State for in-state tuition ($8,434.00 vs. $6,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 65.7% higher at BSU than Fairmont State University ($25,918.00 vs. $15,638.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fairmont State University than BSU ($10,794 vs. $12,615)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fairmont State University are 8.8% lower than costs at Ball State University ($10,022 vs. $10,904)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ball State University than Fairmont State University (97% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 74.4% larger than aid received Fairmont State University ($11,418 vs. $6,547)

BSU vs. Fairmont State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 108 points higher than at Fairmont State (962)
  • Incoming BSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Fairmont State (21)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at Fairmont State (3.36)
  • Fairmont State has a higher acceptance rate (98.5%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. Fairmont State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BSU 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 BSU.

  • The graduation rate at BSU is higher than Fairmont State University (55% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Ball State University earn on average $4,900 more per year than Fairmont State graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $37,600)
  • Fairmont State University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Fairmont State graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($227 vs. $258)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fairmont State students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 43%)

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