Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. Fairmont State

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

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College Fairmont State
Location Erie, PA Fairmont, WV
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 3,295 3,498
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #503 #979
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu fairmontstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College Fairmont State
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $6,022
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $15,638
Room & Board $12,984 $10,022
Avg Net Price $21,968 $10,794
Avg Grant Aid $9,685 $6,547
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 94%

Admission

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College Fairmont State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,363 1,926
Admitted 4,164 1,897
Acceptance Rate 95.4% 98.5%
Enrolled % 19.9% 37%
Avg High School GPA 3.49 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30 18/23
SAT Range 1095/1330 820/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College Fairmont State
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College Fairmont State
Graduation Rate 66% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $37,600
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $227

Diversity

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College Fairmont State
% Men 64% 41%
% Women 36% 59%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 86%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 9% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College Fairmont State
% In-State 74% 88%
% Out-of-State 19% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Fairmont State University is larger than than Penn State Erie-Behrend College based on total student enrollment (3,498 students vs. 3,295 students)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. Fairmont State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Erie-Behrend College or Fairmont State ?

  • Penn State Erie Behrend College is 155.5% more expensive to attend than Fairmont State for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $6,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 65.3% higher at Penn State Erie-Behrend College than Fairmont State University ($25,854.00 vs. $15,638.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fairmont State University than Penn State Erie-Behrend College ($10,794 vs. $21,968)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fairmont State University are 29.6% lower than costs at Penn State Erie Behrend College ($10,022 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Fairmont State University than Penn State Erie Behrend College (94% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Erie Behrend College students is 47.9% larger than aid received Fairmont State University ($9,685 vs. $6,547)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. Fairmont State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Erie Behrend College (1054) is 92 points higher than at Fairmont State (962)
  • Incoming Penn State Erie-Behrend College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Fairmont State (21)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Erie-Behrend College students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.49) than students at Fairmont State (3.36)
  • Fairmont State has a higher acceptance rate (98.5%) than Penn State Erie-Behrend College (95.4%)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. Fairmont State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Erie-Behrend 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 Penn State Erie-Behrend College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Erie-Behrend College is higher than Fairmont State University (66% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Erie Behrend College earn on average $17,700 more per year than Fairmont State graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $37,600)
  • Fairmont State University students graduate with a $4,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($22,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Fairmont State graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($227 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fairmont State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 43%)

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