FMU-Florence vs Benedict College

Francis Marion University and Benedict College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in South Carolina, offer unique educational experiences tailored to diverse student aspirations. Francis Marion University, nestled in the historic town of Florence, boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for aspiring undergraduates. Benedict College, rooted in the vibrant capital city of Columbia, stands out with its historically Black college and university (HBCU) status, fostering a rich cultural heritage and a supportive community. While both universities offer a wide range of academic programs, Francis Marion University is renowned for its strong liberal arts and sciences foundation, while Benedict College excels in fields like business, education, and social work. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these institutions, including their acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic goals and personal preferences.

	Benedict College	Francis Marion University
Overview
Location	Columbia, South Carolina	Florence, South Carolina
Campus setting	City: Midsize	Suburb: Small
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	62.0%	66.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation	Baptist

Admission
Acceptance rate	85.5%	86.1%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $25 Graduate: $25	Undergraduate: $41 Graduate: $41
SAT range	N/A	930 - 1120
ACT range	N/A	15 - 22
Students submitting SAT score		20.0%
Students submitting ACT score		19.0%
Total number of applicants	9,322	3,028
Total number of admissions given out	7,971	2,608
Admitted students who chose to enroll	584	699
Yield rate	7.3%	26.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$30,000	In state: $24,351 Out of state: $34,735
Average net price	$11,701	$13,299
Tuition	$14,600	In state: $10,384 Out of state: $20,768
Room & board	$6,386	$8,230
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	94.0% Average amount $15,242	98.0% Average amount $10,192
Students receiving federal student loan	62.0% Average amount $7,934	59.0% Average amount $5,579
Students taking out private loans	0.0% Average amount $24,500	4.0% Average amount $7,593

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,895 Men 43.4% Women 56.6%	3,475 Men 33.3% Women 66.7%
Graduate students	13 Men 61.5% Women 38.5%	448 Men 22.8% Women 77.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	4.4%
International students	12.7%	1.6%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	Suburb: Small
Dormitory capacity	1,582	1,413
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	South Carolina North Carolina Florida Georgia Texas

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Law Enforcement and Firefighting Family and Consumer Sciences	Health Professions Education Business Psychology Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio	18:1	13:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	24.7%	43.2%
Dropout rate	41.9%	15.9%
Transferred out	32.9%	38.3%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,802 Year 2: $35,416 Year 3: $35,002 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $19,466 Year 2: $28,236 Year 3: $29,803 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $21,816 Year 2: $22,834 Year 3: $24,800 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $22,602 Year 3: $24,793 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $25,194 Year 3: $20,237 Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $22,739 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $25,194 Year 3: N/A Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,235 Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: N/A	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $97,582 Year 2: $101,964 Year 3: $110,561 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,618 Year 2: $58,866 Year 3: $60,568 Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $41,080 Year 2: $43,426 Year 3: $47,870 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $38,649 Year 3: $40,311 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $29,861 Year 2: $28,443 Year 3: $34,636 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,038 Year 2: $28,598 Year 3: $34,338 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,535 Year 2: $31,314 Year 3: $34,010 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $23,804 Year 2: $28,180 Year 3: $32,997 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,805 Year 2: $30,157 Year 3: $32,022 History (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $22,652 Year 3: $31,548

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