Bluefield University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Bluefield, Virginia. It enrolls 614 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Fair
50/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes3
Value17
Affordability56
Selectivity76
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 59.3%, Bluefield University is moderately selective.
Acceptance Rate
59.3%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Bluefield University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
36.7 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Bluefield University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $25,573 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$25,573
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
51%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
71%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$26,770
Room & Board (on-campus)
$9,480
Room & Board (off-campus)
$8,358
Books & Supplies
$440
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,370
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,870
Total Cost of Attendance
$42,539
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
$25,807
$30,001 – $48,000
$25,454
$48,001 – $75,000
$25,732
$75,001 – $110,000
$25,374
Over $110,000
$25,430
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.
$3,16610%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$21,855Medianpercentile
$21,87575%percentile
$31,00090%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 $14,000
↓ $7,855
No Pell $12,000
↓ $9,855
Dependent students $11,000
↓ $10,855
Independent students $19,758
↓ $2,097
Female students $18,227
↓ $3,628
Male students $9,500
↓ $12,355
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,333, less than completers ($21,855), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
42% of full-time students who enrolled at Bluefield University graduate within six years, and 56% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
42%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
56%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Bluefield University earn a median of $48,896 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$48,896
Earning > $25K
79%
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
$41,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$53,600
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$31,300
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$46,800
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$55,400
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $12,600, about 24% 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.
Stable ↑
2.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 68% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Bluefield University is home to 614 students, a small, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 43% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
614
Part-Time
10%
First-Generation
43%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 58.3%358
Black 22.6%139
Hispanic 4.9%30
International 2.3%14
Other 1.3%8
Asian 1.3%8
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Bluefield University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: DistantBluefield, Virginia
Housing
Mostly residential420 beds on campus
Adult Learners
15%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated
What You Can Study
Bluefield University offers
a varied set of programs:
31 distinct programs across
17 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.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Bluefield University is 15:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
15:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$17M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$52,735
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
43 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
7
16%
$61,944
Associate Professors
8
19%
$51,792
Assistant Professors
27
63%
$51,246
Instructors
1
2%
$36,000
Pros & Cons of Bluefield University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Bluefield University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Reasonable class sizes
Tight-knit, close community feel
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Above-average net price
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Below-average completion rate
First-year retention is below typical
Most students take on federal loans
Best for:
Based on the data, Bluefield University is a fit for
students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bluefield University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Bluefield University.
Is Bluefield University hard to get into?
Admissions at Bluefield University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 59.3%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Bluefield University?
Bluefield University has an acceptance rate of 59.3%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Bluefield University cost?
The average net price after aid at Bluefield University is $25,573 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Bluefield University worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $48,896 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $25,573 per year. That's roughly 1.9x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Bluefield University known for?
Bluefield University is best known for its programs in Biology, Business Administration, Business Administration. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Bluefield University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Bluefield University are $48,896, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Bluefield University accredited?
Yes. Bluefield University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Bluefield University?
Bluefield University enrolls 614 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Bluefield University?
Bluefield University graduates 42% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Bluefield University a public or private college?
Bluefield University is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Bluefield University located?
Bluefield University is located in Bluefield, Virginia.
What programs does Bluefield University offer?
Bluefield University offers 31 distinct programs. The most popular include Biology, Business Administration, Business Administration.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Bluefield University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Bluefield University is 15:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Virginia
Other colleges in 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.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
How to Build Your College List Pillar
The full process of narrowing from 3,839 US colleges to a shortlist of ~10. Cost, location, size, selectivity, and fit factors that actually predict whether you'll thrive.
What actually makes a college work for first-generation students, the support and aid signals that predict success, and how to find the schools that deliver them using federal data.
How to find the colleges that deliver the strongest return on a STEM degree by weighing earnings outcomes against net cost, rather than chasing the most selective name.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
One federal dataset, 3,839 colleges. The median school costs $16,371 a year, admits 78% of applicants, and enrolls 1,259 students. The shape of US higher ed.
Higher education data
Net price
College enrollment
Acceptance rate
College ownership
Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
Acceptance rate
Selectivity
Completion
College outcomes
For-Profit Colleges Charge the Most and Pay the Least
For-profit colleges post the highest median net price of any sector and the lowest graduate earnings. They cost more than private nonprofits and pay less than publics.
For-profit colleges
Net price
Earnings
College ROI
College ownership
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
