South Carolina State University vs FMU-Florence

South Carolina State University and Francis Marion University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in South Carolina, offer unique educational experiences to their students. South Carolina State University, a historically Black university, boasts a higher acceptance rate and a larger student body, while Francis Marion University, known for its strong liberal arts and sciences programs, has a more selective admissions process and a smaller student population. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs, with popular majors including business, education, and nursing. While South Carolina State University has a slightly higher graduation rate, Francis Marion University offers a more intimate learning environment with smaller class sizes. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more distinctions between these two excellent universities and make an informed decision about your academic journey.
Francis Marion University logo

Francis Marion University

South Carolina State University logo

South Carolina State University

Overview

Location Florence, South Carolina Orangeburg, South Carolina
Campus setting Suburb: Small Town: Distant
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 66.0% 69.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 86.1% 87.6%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $41

Graduate: $41
Undergraduate: $25

Graduate: $25
SAT range 930 - 1120 800 - 1050
ACT range 15 - 22 15 - 19
Students submitting SAT score 20.0% 6.0%
Students submitting ACT score 19.0% 9.0%
Total number of applicants 3,028 2,497
Total number of admissions given out 2,608 2,187
Admitted students who chose to enroll 699 586
Yield rate 26.8% 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 Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $24,351

Out of state: $34,735
In state: $31,060

Out of state: $41,750
Average net price $13,299 $20,901
Tuition
In state: $10,384

Out of state: $20,768
In state: $9,528

Out of state: $20,218
Room & board $8,230
Room/dormitory: $6,600

Meal plan: $3,290
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

98.0%
Average amount $10,192
87.0%
Average amount $9,737
Students receiving federal student loan 59.0%
Average amount $5,579
63.0%
Average amount $5,707
Students taking out private loans 4.0%
Average amount $7,593
1.0%
Average amount $14,500

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 3,475
Men 33.3% Women 66.7%
2,074
Men 44.7% Women 55.3%
Graduate students 448
Men 22.8% Women 77.2%
300
Men 24.3% Women 75.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students 4.4% 13.2%
International students 1.6% 0.1%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Small Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 1,413 1,369
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from South Carolina North Carolina Florida Georgia Texas South Carolina Georgia Florida North Carolina California

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Psychology
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Business
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 13:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 43.2% 30.4%
Dropout rate 15.9% 35.7%
Transferred out 38.3% 30.0%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
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
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $74,576
  • Year 3: $81,719
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,798
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $53,072
Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,160
  • Year 2: $41,464
  • Year 3: $45,205
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,987
  • Year 2: $26,353
  • Year 3: $40,381
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,494
  • Year 2: $32,213
  • Year 3: $37,475
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $32,569
  • Year 3: $36,398
Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,194
  • Year 2: $27,403
  • Year 3: $34,308
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $21,752
  • Year 2: $24,863
  • Year 3: $34,167
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $17,125
  • Year 2: $23,340
  • Year 3: $31,468
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,870
  • Year 2: $20,444
  • Year 3: $30,521

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