More selective than 14% of West Virginia colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $21,839. College Scorecard.
Higher than 28% of West Virginia colleges we cover and 21% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 12% of West Virginia colleges we cover and 9% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Bluefield State University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 720 applicants, Bluefield State University admitted 628 and 216 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 870–1080 on the SAT or 17–22 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Bluefield State University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for West Virginia residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Bluefield State University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Bluefield State University took 4.5 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in West Virginia. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $11,810 | $53,145 | 9.6 years |
| $30–48k | $10,703 | $48,164 | 8.7 years |
| $48–75k | $14,630 | $65,835 | 11.9 years |
| $75–110k | $17,058 | $76,761 | 13.9 years |
| $110k+ | $16,242 | $73,089 | 13.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (21% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($38,217) minus $32,695 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WV (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $5,522 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Bluefield State University majors, earnings & careers
Bluefield State University offers 15 bachelor's majors across 8 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Engineering · 4
- Health & Medicine · 3
- Business & Finance · 2
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 2
- Education · 1
- Humanities & Languages · 1
- Science & Math · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at Bluefield State University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $82,760 | $26,000 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | $67,441 | — |
| Criminal Justice | $42,085 | $30,250 |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | $40,711 | $28,655 |
| Social Sciences | $40,355 | — |
Quick list of all 15 majors
- Accounting—
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$67,441
- Biological and Physical Sciences—
- Business Administration—
- Civil Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Criminal Justice$42,085
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Electrical / Electronic Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- Engineering-Related Fields—
- Health Administration—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$40,711
- Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies / Technicians—
- Nursing$82,760
- Social Sciences$40,355
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) → Radiologic technologist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.0% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Bluefield
2 bedrooms $946.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 45 inches of rain a year, 40 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Mercer County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Mercer County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Bluefield State University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in West Virginia by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluefield State University | 97% | $13,684 | 37% | $38,217 | This school |
| West Virginia State University | 96% | $11,139 | 39% | $40,492 | |
| Concord University | 93% | $9,966 | 39% | $42,703 | |
| Fairmont State University | 99% | $9,032 | 44% | $46,857 | |
| West Liberty University | 97% | $15,366 | 60% | $43,296 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Bluefield State University would cost you $2,545 more per year than West Virginia State University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Bluefield State University, mostly from a higher estimate for personal & travel costs (+$1,977).
- West Virginia State University gives aided families $478 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, West Virginia resident | Bluefield State University | West Virginia State University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $10,648 | $9,570 | +$1,078 |
| Books & supplies | $1,200 | $1,309 | −$109 |
| Housing & meals | $11,327 | $12,936 | −$1,609 |
| Personal & travel | $4,300 | $2,323 | +$1,977 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$5,636 | −$6,366 | +$730 |
| Sticker price | $21,839 | $19,772 | +$2,067 |
| Average grants | −$8,155 | −$8,633 | +$478 |
| You pay | $13,684 | $11,139 | +$2,545 |
“+” means Bluefield State University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Bluefield State University
What is the Bluefield State University acceptance rate?
Bluefield State University accepts 97% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 628 of 720 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 870–1080 on the SAT or 17–22 on the ACT.
How much does Bluefield State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $21,839 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $13,684 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $11,810 and families earning $110k+ pay $16,242.
How much do Bluefield State University graduates earn?
Former Bluefield State University students earn a median $38,217 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Bluefield State University graduation rate?
37% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 55% return for their second year.
How long does a Bluefield State University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Bluefield State University costs about $65,835 after grants ($14,630 a year for 4.5 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $38,217 ten years after starting, $5,522 more than high school graduates in West Virginia ($32,695), so the cost is repaid in 11.9 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Bluefield State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/bluefield-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).