Fairmont State vs. WVU

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

 Fairmont State WVU
Location Fairmont, WV Morgantown, WV
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 3,498 24,741
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #979 #559
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fairmontstate.edu wvu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Fairmont State WVU
Tuition (In State) $6,022 $9,360
Tuition (Out of State) $15,638 $26,568
Room & Board $10,022 $11,618
Avg Net Price $10,794 $12,202
Avg Grant Aid $6,547 $11,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 94%

Admission

 Fairmont State WVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,926 18,206
Admitted 1,897 16,091
Acceptance Rate 98.5% 88.4%
Enrolled % 37% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23 20/26
SAT Range 820/1050 1000/1220
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Fairmont State WVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

 Fairmont State WVU
Graduation Rate 33% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,600 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 43% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $24,001
Median Loan Payment $227 $248

Diversity

 Fairmont State WVU
% Men 41% 47%
% Women 59% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 86% 81%
% Black 5% 5%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 Fairmont State WVU
% In-State 88% 42%
% Out-of-State 11% 57%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • West Virginia University is larger than than Fairmont State based on total student enrollment (24,741 students vs. 3,498 students)

Fairmont State vs. WVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fairmont State or WVU?

  • West Virginia University is 55.4% more expensive to attend than Fairmont State for in-state tuition ($9,360.00 vs. $6,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 69.9% higher at WVU than Fairmont State University ($26,568.00 vs. $15,638.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fairmont State University than WVU ($10,794 vs. $12,202)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fairmont State University are 15.9% lower than costs at West Virginia University ($10,022 vs. $11,618)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Fairmont State University as West Virginia University (94% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by West Virginia University students is 78.5% larger than aid received Fairmont State University ($11,685 vs. $6,547)

Fairmont State vs. WVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Virginia University (1078) is 116 points higher than at Fairmont State (962)
  • Incoming WVU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Fairmont State (21)
  • Accepted freshman WVU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at Fairmont State (3.36)
  • Fairmont State has a higher acceptance rate (98.5%) than WVU (88.4%)

Fairmont State vs. WVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Fairmont State or WVU? 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 WVU and Fairmont State .

  • The graduation rate at WVU is higher than Fairmont State University (57% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from West Virginia University earn on average $13,000 more per year than Fairmont State graduates after ten years. ($50,600 vs. $37,600)
  • Fairmont State University students graduate with a $2,001 lower median federal student loan debt than WVU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $24,001)
  • Fairmont State graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than WVU graduates. ($227 vs. $248)
  • More WVU 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/