GWU vs. Fairmont State

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

 GWU Fairmont State
Location Boiling Springs, NC Fairmont, WV
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 3,144 3,498
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #639 #979
Religious Affiliation Southern Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gardner-webb.edu fairmontstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 GWU Fairmont State
Tuition (In State) $31,220 $6,022
Tuition (Out of State) $31,220 $15,638
Room & Board $10,770 $10,022
Avg Net Price $22,339 $10,794
Avg Grant Aid $24,130 $6,547
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

 GWU Fairmont State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,728 1,926
Admitted 4,293 1,897
Acceptance Rate 74.9% 98.5%
Enrolled % 9.4% 37%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.36
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 18/23
SAT Range 1020/1210 820/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

 GWU Fairmont State
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (4%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

 GWU Fairmont State
Graduation Rate 55% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,500 $37,600
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,969 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $227

Diversity

 GWU Fairmont State
% Men 32% 41%
% Women 68% 59%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 86%
% Black 17% 5%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 10% 1%

Students

 GWU Fairmont State
% In-State 54% 88%
% Out-of-State 41% 11%

Campus

 GWU 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

  • Fairmont State University is larger than than GWU based on total student enrollment (3,498 students vs. 3,144 students)

GWU vs. Fairmont State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GWU or Fairmont State ?

  • Gardner Webb University is 418.4% more expensive to attend than Fairmont State for in-state tuition ($31,220.00 vs. $6,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 99.6% higher at GWU than Fairmont State University ($31,220.00 vs. $15,638.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fairmont State University than GWU ($10,794 vs. $22,339)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fairmont State University are 7.5% lower than costs at Gardner Webb University ($10,022 vs. $10,770)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Gardner Webb University than Fairmont State University (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gardner Webb University students is 268.6% larger than aid received Fairmont State University ($24,130 vs. $6,547)

GWU vs. Fairmont State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Gardner Webb University (977) is 15 points higher than at Fairmont State (962)
  • Incoming GWU students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at Fairmont State (21)
  • Accepted freshman GWU students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Fairmont State (3.36)
  • Fairmont State has a higher acceptance rate (98.5%) than GWU (74.9%)

GWU vs. Fairmont State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, GWU 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 GWU.

  • The graduation rate at GWU is higher than Fairmont State University (55% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Gardner Webb University earn on average $2,900 more per year than Fairmont State graduates after ten years. ($40,500 vs. $37,600)
  • Fairmont State University students graduate with a $2,969 lower median federal student loan debt than GWU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $24,969)
  • Fairmont State graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than GWU graduates. ($227 vs. $258)
  • More GWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fairmont State students, three years after graduation. (52% vs. 43%)

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