Bluefield State University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Bluefield, West Virginia. It enrolls 1,042 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Good
55/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes9
Value54
Affordability78
Selectivity7
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Bluefield State University admits 97.2% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
97.2%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
870 – 1080
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
17 – 22
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Bluefield State University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
7.2 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $13,684 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$10,648
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$18,376
Room & Board (on-campus)
$11,512
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,512
Books & Supplies
$1,500
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,600
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,600
Total Cost of Attendance
$21,839
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$11,810
$30,001 – $48,000
$10,703
$48,001 – $75,000
$14,630
$75,001 – $110,000
$17,058
Over $110,000
$16,242
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,75010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$18,250Medianpercentile
$23,47075%percentile
$37,56390%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $12,562
↓ $5,688
No Pell $10,500
↓ $7,750
Dependent students $9,820
↓ $8,430
Independent students $15,750
↓ $2,500
Female students $12,300
↓ $5,950
Male students $11,000
↓ $7,250
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,444, less than completers ($18,250), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
27% of students who start here finish within six years, and 55% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
27%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
55%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $38,217 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$38,217
Earning > $25K
61%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$27,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$39,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$28,800
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$34,500
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$39,700
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $11,700, about 30% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
18.8 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 68% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,042 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 49% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
1,042
Part-Time
15%
First-Generation
49%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 66.2%690
Black 22.4%233
Hispanic 5.3%55
Other 5.1%53
Asian 0.5%5
International 0.2%2
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Bluefield State University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Bluefield State University offers
a varied set of programs:
19 distinct programs across
9 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 17 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.
Student : Faculty
17:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$8,268
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$4.6M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$66,563
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
60 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
18
30%
$78,773
Associate Professors
16
27%
$69,296
Assistant Professors
13
22%
$61,729
Instructors
13
22%
$51,126
Pros & Cons of Bluefield State University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Bluefield State University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for:
Based on the data, Bluefield State University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bluefield State University
The questions families ask most about Bluefield State University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Bluefield State University hard to get into?
Not especially. Bluefield State University admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 97.2%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Bluefield State University?
97.2% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Bluefield State University?
Aim for 1080 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 870 and 1080 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Bluefield State University?
Aim for 22 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 17 and 22 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Bluefield State University cost?
Budget around $13,684 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Bluefield State University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $38,217 a year against a net price of $13,684, about 2.8 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Bluefield State University known for?
Mostly Nursing, Liberal Arts, Nursing. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Bluefield State University graduates earn?
About $38,217 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Bluefield State University accredited?
Yes. Bluefield State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Bluefield State University?
1,042 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Bluefield State University?
27% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Bluefield State University a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Bluefield State University located?
Bluefield State University is located in Bluefield, West Virginia.
What programs does Bluefield State University offer?
19 different programs, most commonly Nursing, Liberal Arts, Nursing. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Bluefield State University?
17 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in West Virginia
Other colleges in West Virginia share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Business Administration
Liberal Arts
Teacher Education (K-12)
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