Bethany College vs. Fairmont State

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

Bethany College Fairmont State
Location Bethany, WV Fairmont, WV
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 623 3,498
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #979
Religious Affiliation Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bethanywv.edu fairmontstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bethany College Fairmont State
Tuition (In State) $30,720 $6,022
Tuition (Out of State) $30,720 $15,638
Room & Board $11,900 $10,022
Avg Net Price $17,605 $10,794
Avg Grant Aid $30,005 $6,547
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

Bethany College Fairmont State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,651 1,926
Admitted 1,721 1,897
Acceptance Rate 64.9% 98.5%
Enrolled % 10.2% 37%
Avg High School GPA 2.85 3.36
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/26 18/23
SAT Range 870/1110 820/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

Bethany College Fairmont State
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Human Services (8%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

Bethany College Fairmont State
Graduation Rate 48% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,000 $37,600
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $30,884 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $319 $227

Diversity

Bethany College Fairmont State
% Men 56% 41%
% Women 44% 59%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 51% 86%
% Black 18% 5%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 20% 1%

Students

Bethany College Fairmont State
% In-State 22% 88%
% Out-of-State 68% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Fairmont State University is larger than than Bethany College based on total student enrollment (3,498 students vs. 623 students)

Bethany College vs. Fairmont State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bethany College or Fairmont State ?

  • Bethany College is 410.1% more expensive to attend than Fairmont State for in-state tuition ($30,720.00 vs. $6,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 96.4% higher at Bethany College than Fairmont State University ($30,720.00 vs. $15,638.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fairmont State University than Bethany College ($10,794 vs. $17,605)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fairmont State University are 18.7% lower than costs at Bethany College ($10,022 vs. $11,900)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bethany College than Fairmont State University (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethany College students is 358.3% larger than aid received Fairmont State University ($30,005 vs. $6,547)

Bethany College vs. Fairmont State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Fairmont State University (962) is 55 points higher than at Bethany College (907)
  • Incoming Fairmont State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Bethany College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Fairmont State students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at Bethany College (2.85)
  • Fairmont State has a higher acceptance rate (98.5%) than Bethany College (64.9%)

Bethany College vs. Fairmont State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bethany College 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 Bethany College.

  • The graduation rate at Bethany College is higher than Fairmont State University (48% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Bethany College earn on average $6,400 more per year than Fairmont State graduates after ten years. ($44,000 vs. $37,600)
  • Fairmont State University students graduate with a $8,884 lower median federal student loan debt than Bethany College graduates. ($22,000 vs. $30,884)
  • Fairmont State graduates are paying $92 less per month on federal student loans than Bethany College graduates. ($227 vs. $319)
  • More Bethany College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fairmont State students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 43%)

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