EIU vs. Fairmont State

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

 EIU Fairmont State
Location Charleston, IL Fairmont, WV
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 8,857 3,498
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #672 #979
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eiu.edu fairmontstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 EIU Fairmont State
Tuition (In State) $9,709 $6,022
Tuition (Out of State) $12,136 $15,638
Room & Board $10,812 $10,022
Avg Net Price $13,380 $10,794
Avg Grant Aid $11,773 $6,547
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

 EIU Fairmont State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,584 1,926
Admitted 7,873 1,897
Acceptance Rate 68% 98.5%
Enrolled % 11.1% 37%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/23
SAT Range 900/1120 820/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

 EIU Fairmont State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

 EIU Fairmont State
Graduation Rate 59% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,500 $37,600
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,650 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $244 $227

Diversity

 EIU Fairmont State
% Men 42% 41%
% Women 58% 59%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 68% 86%
% Black 19% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 EIU Fairmont State
% In-State 91% 88%
% Out-of-State 7% 11%

Campus

 EIU 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

  • Eastern Illinois University is larger than than Fairmont State based on total student enrollment (8,857 students vs. 3,498 students)

EIU vs. Fairmont State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, EIU or Fairmont State ?

  • Eastern Illinois University is 61.2% more expensive to attend than Fairmont State for in-state tuition ($9,709.00 vs. $6,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.9% higher at Fairmont State than Eastern Illinois University ($15,638.00 vs. $12,136.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fairmont State University than EIU ($10,794 vs. $13,380)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fairmont State University are 7.9% lower than costs at Eastern Illinois University ($10,022 vs. $10,812)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Illinois University than Fairmont State University (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Illinois University students is 79.8% larger than aid received Fairmont State University ($11,773 vs. $6,547)

EIU vs. Fairmont State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Eastern Illinois University (1010) is 48 points higher than at Fairmont State (962)
  • Incoming EIU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Fairmont State (21)
  • Accepted freshman EIU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at Fairmont State (3.36)
  • Fairmont State has a higher acceptance rate (98.5%) than EIU (68%)

EIU vs. Fairmont State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, EIU 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 EIU.

  • The graduation rate at EIU is higher than Fairmont State University (59% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Eastern Illinois University earn on average $5,900 more per year than Fairmont State graduates after ten years. ($43,500 vs. $37,600)
  • Fairmont State University students graduate with a $1,650 lower median federal student loan debt than EIU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $23,650)
  • Fairmont State graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than EIU graduates. ($227 vs. $244)
  • More EIU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fairmont State students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 43%)

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