BaccalaureatePublicHBCU

Bluefield State University

Bluefield, West Virginia·Public, 4-year or above·Southeast·bluefieldstate.edu
6-yr Graduation
37%
+2.0pp vs Baccalaureate
Total enrollment
1,141
peer median 1,522
Avg net price
$12,529
+$1.3k vs Baccalaureate
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AdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeCommon Data Set

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
687
687 candidates competed
Admitted
668
97.2% acceptance rate
Enrolled
219
32.8% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
37%+2.0pp vs Baccalaureate
4-year graduation
17%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
30%
Full-time retention
55%

Pell equity

6.0pp gap
Pell recipients
25%
Non-Pell
31%

Non-Pell students graduate at a 6.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 35 Title IV programs, 7 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 28 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
35
Passing
7
20.0% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

35programs
  • Passing7 · 20.0%
  • No Data28 · 80.0%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
2
Safe
5
No data
28

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

7
Social Sciences General
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
+23.8%
$40,355 vs $32,604
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Bachelor Degree · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
+24.9%
$40,711 vs $32,604
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Bachelor Degree · Security And Protective Services
+29.1%
$42,085 vs $32,604
Allied Health Diagnostic Intervention and Treatment Professions
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+68.4%
$54,897 vs $32,604
Allied Health Diagnostic Intervention and Treatment Professions
Bachelor Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+106.8%
$67,441 vs $32,604
Registered Nursing Nursing Administration Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+125.7%
$73,592 vs $32,604
Registered Nursing Nursing Administration Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Bachelor Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+153.8%
$82,760 vs $32,604

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

5
Social Sciences General
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
85%
$34,200 debt · $40,355 earn
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Bachelor Degree · Security And Protective Services
74%
$31,000 debt · $42,085 earn
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Bachelor Degree · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
46%
$18,901 debt · $40,711 earn
Registered Nursing Nursing Administration Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Bachelor Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
34%
$28,500 debt · $82,760 earn
Registered Nursing Nursing Administration Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
24%
$17,500 debt · $73,592 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1951Next review Aug 2032

Programmatic accreditations · 4

Action history · 7

  1. Jul 2022Renewal of Accreditation
    Higher Learning Commission
  2. Feb 2022Renewal of Accreditation
    Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology · Radiologic Technology (RAD) - Programs for radiographers
  3. Sep 2020Accreditation Reaffirmed: Probation Removed
    Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (ADNUR) - Associate degree programs
  4. May 2019Renewal of Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels
  5. Sep 2018Probation or Equivalent or a More Severe Status: Probation
    Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (ADNUR) - Associate degree programs

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$10,971
$30–48k$11,213
$48–75k$11,772
$75–110k$16,204
$110k+$15,428

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$12,529
+$1,286vs Baccalaureate median $11,243
Federal loans
53.5%
In-state tuition
$10,240
Out-of-state
$17,560

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 643 students received $3.6M in Pell grants, alongside $4.7M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
643
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$3.6M
$3,568,568 total
Direct Loans
$4.7M
1,024 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

1k
’20
1k
’21
1k
’22
1k
’23
1k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$1.8M
468 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$1.9M
478 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$148K
10 loan awards
Parent PLUS$791K
68 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 423 borrowers who entered repayment, 20 (4.7%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
4.7%
+2.4pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
423
Defaulted
20
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
19.0%
2017
17.9%
2018
11.4%
2019
4.7%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Bluefield State

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs22
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

264 total completions
01Health Professions
11945.1%
02Engineering Tech
4617.4%
03Liberal Arts
2710.2%
04Business
249.1%
05Education
166.1%
06Computer Sciences
114.2%
07Security/Protective
103.8%
08Multi/Interdisciplinary
83.0%
09Social Sciences
31.1%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
1,141
12-mo unduplicated
1,428
Undergraduate
1,395
Graduate
33

Gender split

Men
38%548
Women
62%880

Race / ethnicity composition

White
72.2%
Black
17.1%
Two or more
5.1%
Hispanic
4.1%
Unknown
0.8%
Non-resident
0.4%
Asian
0.2%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
394
222 M · 172 W
Women athletes
43.7%
Athletic aid
$2.4M
Total student aid
Budget
$5.7M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$1.6M
$805K
Recruiting expense
$14K
$11K
Head-coach salaries
$34K
$28K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 13

Football
97 M · —
$1.6M
Baseball
48 M · —
$543K
Gymnastics
— · 39 W
$119K
Wrestling
18 M · 18 W
$291K
Basketball
18 M · 17 W
$745K
Track and Field (Outdoor)
16 M · 16 W
$117K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
3.06
4 offenses · 1,306 students

3-year trend

0.802 yrs ago5.151 yr ago3.06Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
12
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
6
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0

Criminal offenses by type

Rape
3
Burglary
1

By location

4total
  • On campus3
  • Public property1

Includes 3 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

0
Domestic violence
3
Dating violence
1
Stalking
4 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons00
Drugs04
Liquor01

Residence-hall fires

No residence-hall fires reported.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
13.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
64

Bluefield State vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Bluefield State selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectBluefield State University
37%—1,141$12,529Baccalaureate
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
33%36.7%1,278$9,957Baccalaureate
Glenville State University
35%69.5%1,765$16,358Baccalaureate
Florida Polytechnic University
55%57.5%1,769$9,899Baccalaureate
The University of Tennessee Southern
35%86.7%1,046$15,133Baccalaureate
Kentucky State University
35%96.1%2,020$8,900Baccalaureate
Peer group median35%69.5%1,522$11,243

Institutions like Bluefield State

Explore the federal data for institutions in Bluefield State's comparison group.

IPEDS

Bluefield State Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Research
Reports to Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Phone
304.327.4000
Address
Bluefield State University 219 Rock St. Bluefield, WV 24701

We provide Bluefield State with administrative decision-making support by coordinating data collection, analyzing data, and reporting findings.

Visit IR office page

Common Data Set

Bluefield State's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.

Acceptance rate
76.9%
Accessible
Yield
56.2%
of admitted students enroll
Total enrollment
1,486
1,486 UG · 0 grad
6-yr graduation rate
23%
First-year retention
58%
01

Selectivity & Admissions

Admissions funnel

C1
Applied
618
Admitted
475
Enrolled
267

618 applied → 475 admitted (76.9%) → 267 enrolled.

Selectivity

C1
Acceptance rate
76.9%

Accessible — 76.9% acceptance rate.

Admit rate by gender

C1
men76.0%
women77.4%

Admit rate varies by gender.

High-school class rank

C10
Top tenth of high school class31%
Top quarter of high school class56%
Top half of high school class82%
Bottom half of high school class18%
Bottom quarter of high school class5%

Share of enrolled first-years by HS class-rank band.

What matters in admission

C7
Very Important3
Rigor of secondary school recordAcademic GPAStandardized test scores
Important1
Class rank
Considered13
Application EssayRecommendationExtracurricular activitiesTalent/abilityCharacter/personal qualitiesFirst generationAlumni/ae relationGeographical residenceState residencyRacial/ethnic statusVolunteer workWork experienceLevel of applicant’s interest
Not Considered2
InterviewReligious affiliation/commitment

Relative importance of each admission factor.

02

Affordability & Value

Where grant aid comes from

H1
Federal
4,173,64275%
State
1,376,54125%

0% of need-based grant dollars come from the institution itself.

Graduate debt

H4/H5
Grads with debt
59%
Avg debt
$20,499

59% of graduates borrowed; those who did owed $20,499 on average.

03

Outcomes & Equity

Graduation & retention

B
6-yr grad rate
23%
Retention
58%

6-year graduation rate 23%; first-year retention 58%.

04

Student Body & Diversity

Undergraduate race/ethnicity

B2
White, non-Hispanic85.0%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic8.9%
Nonresident aliens2.8%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic1.5%
Hispanic/Latino0.9%
Asian, non-Hispanic0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic0.3%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity.

International students

B2
International UG
41
Share
3%

3% of undergraduates are international (nonresident).

05

Transfer Path

Transfer admissions

D1
Applied
298
Admitted
210
Enrolled
145

298 transfer applicants → 210 admitted (70.4%) → 145 enrolled — more selective than first-year admission.

Source publications

Frequently asked questions about Bluefield State University

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Bluefield State.

What is the graduation rate at Bluefield State University?

Bluefield State University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 37% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Bluefield State University?

Bluefield State University reports a total enrollment of 1,141 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Bluefield State University?

The average net price at Bluefield State University is $12,529 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Bluefield State University?

Bluefield State University's yield rate is 32.8%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Bluefield State University located?

Bluefield State University is located in Bluefield, West Virginia 24701-2198.

Who runs Institutional Research at Bluefield State University?

Bluefield State University's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Research, which reports to Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

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