Fairmont State vs. Shepherd University

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

 Fairmont State Shepherd University
Location Fairmont, WV Shepherdstown, WV
Setting Distant Town Town Fringe
Enrollment 3,498 3,235
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #979 #866
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fairmontstate.edu shepherd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Fairmont State Shepherd University
Tuition (In State) $6,022 $6,288
Tuition (Out of State) $15,638 $15,774
Room & Board $10,022 $10,987
Avg Net Price $10,794 $9,827
Avg Grant Aid $6,547 $7,328
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 93%

Admission

 Fairmont State Shepherd University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,926 1,690
Admitted 1,897 1,620
Acceptance Rate 98.5% 95.9%
Enrolled % 37% 34.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23 19/24
SAT Range 820/1050 930/1170
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Fairmont State Shepherd University
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)

Outcomes

 Fairmont State Shepherd University
Graduation Rate 33% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,600 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 43% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $22,223
Median Loan Payment $227 $229

Diversity

 Fairmont State Shepherd University
% Men 41% 37%
% Women 59% 63%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 86% 82%
% Black 5% 10%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Fairmont State Shepherd University
% In-State 88% 64%
% Out-of-State 11% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Fairmont State University is larger than than Shepherd University based on total student enrollment (3,498 students vs. 3,235 students)

Fairmont State vs. Shepherd University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fairmont State or Shepherd University?

  • Shepherd University is 4.4% more expensive to attend than Fairmont State for in-state tuition ($6,288.00 vs. $6,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.9% higher at Shepherd University than Fairmont State University ($15,774.00 vs. $15,638.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shepherd University than Fairmont State ($9,827 vs. $10,794)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fairmont State University are 9.6% lower than costs at Shepherd University ($10,022 vs. $10,987)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Fairmont State University than Shepherd University (94% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shepherd University students is 11.9% larger than aid received Fairmont State University ($7,328 vs. $6,547)

Fairmont State vs. Shepherd University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Shepherd University (995) is 33 points higher than at Fairmont State (962)
  • Incoming Shepherd University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Fairmont State (21)
  • Accepted freshman Shepherd University students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Fairmont State (3.36)
  • Fairmont State has a higher acceptance rate (98.5%) than Shepherd University (95.9%)

Fairmont State vs. Shepherd University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Fairmont State or Shepherd University? 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 Shepherd University and Fairmont State .

  • The graduation rate at Shepherd University is higher than Fairmont State University (46% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Shepherd University earn on average $3,900 more per year than Fairmont State graduates after ten years. ($41,500 vs. $37,600)
  • Fairmont State University students graduate with a $223 lower median federal student loan debt than Shepherd University graduates. ($22,000 vs. $22,223)
  • Fairmont State graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Shepherd University graduates. ($227 vs. $229)
  • More Shepherd University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fairmont State students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 43%)

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