FMU-Florence vs East Central University

Francis Marion University and East Central University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Francis Marion, nestled in the historic town of Florence, South Carolina, boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a diverse student body from various backgrounds. East Central, located in the vibrant city of Ada, Oklahoma, maintains a smaller student population, fostering a close-knit community. While both universities excel in liberal arts and sciences, Francis Marion is renowned for its strong nursing and business programs, while East Central shines in aviation and education. Discover which university aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences by exploring the comprehensive comparison table below.

	East Central University	Francis Marion University
Overview
Location	Ada, Oklahoma	Florence, South Carolina
Campus setting	Town: Remote	Suburb: Small
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	57.0%	66.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	64.7%	86.1%
Application fees	$20	Undergraduate: $41 Graduate: $41
SAT range	881 - 960	930 - 1120
ACT range	17 - 22	15 - 22
Students submitting SAT score	1.0%	20.0%
Students submitting ACT score	97.0%	19.0%
Total number of applicants	1,005	3,028
Total number of admissions given out	650	2,608
Admitted students who chose to enroll	438	699
Yield rate	67.4%	26.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $26,877 Out of state: $36,237	In state: $24,351 Out of state: $34,735
Average net price	$11,184	$13,299
Tuition	In state: $5,791 Out of state: $15,151	In state: $10,384 Out of state: $20,768
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $4,028 Meal plan: $3,612	$8,230
Available payment plans	Guaranteed tuition plan Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	75.0% Average amount $5,623	98.0% Average amount $10,192
Students receiving federal student loan	27.0% Average amount $4,799	59.0% Average amount $5,579
Students taking out private loans	2.0% Average amount $9,117	4.0% Average amount $7,593

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,706 Men 41.5% Women 58.5%	3,475 Men 33.3% Women 66.7%
Graduate students	644 Men 30.7% Women 69.3%	448 Men 22.8% Women 77.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	12.3%	4.4%
International students	0.5%	1.6%
Campus local/setting	Town: Remote	Suburb: Small
Dormitory capacity	1,320	1,413
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Oklahoma Texas Arkansas Florida Kansas	South Carolina North Carolina Florida Georgia Texas

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Health Professions Public Administration and Social Service	Health Professions Education Business Psychology Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio	17:1	13:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	30.9%	43.2%
Dropout rate	48.2%	15.9%
Transferred out	19.0%	38.3%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,379 Year 2: $60,024 Year 3: $63,931 Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $49,976 Year 2: $44,875 Year 3: $49,439 Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $43,798 Year 3: $48,348 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $42,022 Year 2: $41,342 Year 3: $45,312 Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $37,980 Year 3: $40,375 Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $35,772 Year 3: $39,070 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,762 Year 2: $33,281 Year 3: $38,571 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,094 Year 2: $32,770 Year 3: $38,377 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $37,208 Year 3: $38,339 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $27,120 Year 2: $28,055 Year 3: $36,039	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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