FMU-Florence vs Furman University
Francis Marion University and Furman University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in South Carolina, offer distinct educational experiences. Francis Marion, a public university, boasts an acceptance rate of 85%, making it more accessible to a wider range of students. Furman, a private university, has a more selective admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 60%. In terms of student body demographics, Francis Marion's student population is more diverse, with a higher percentage of African American and Hispanic students. Furman, on the other hand, has a larger international student population. Both universities offer a variety of popular majors, including business, education, and nursing, but Furman also offers a wider range of liberal arts and sciences programs. With graduation rates of 58% and 83% respectively, both universities provide students with the support and resources they need to succeed. To help you make an informed decision about your higher education journey, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these differences
|
![]() Francis Marion University |
![]() Furman University |
---|---|---|
Overview |
||
Location | Florence, South Carolina | Greenville, South Carolina |
Campus setting | Suburb: Small | Suburb: Large |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Public | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 66.0% | 91.0% |
![]() |
No | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
|
||
Admission |
||
Acceptance rate | 86.1% | 71.4% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$41
Graduate:
$41
|
Undergraduate:
$50
Graduate:
$55
|
SAT range | 930 - 1120 | 1240 - 1422 |
ACT range | 15 - 22 | 29 - 33 |
Students submitting SAT score | 20.0% | 26.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 19.0% | 29.0% |
Total number of applicants | 3,028 | 7,174 |
Total number of admissions given out | 2,608 | 5,119 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 699 | 656 |
Yield rate | 26.8% | 12.8% |
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) | Required | Required |
|
||
Tuition and Fees |
||
Sticker price |
In state:
$24,351
Out of state:
$34,735
|
$69,880 |
Average net price | $13,299 | $33,999 |
Tuition |
In state:
$10,384
Out of state:
$20,768
|
$52,992 |
Room & board | $8,230 |
Room/dormitory:
$7,496
Meal plan:
$6,202
|
Available payment plans |
|
|
|
||
Financial Aid |
||
Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
98.0%
Average amount $10,192 |
96.0%
Average amount $33,191 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
59.0%
Average amount $5,579 |
28.0%
Average amount $5,170 |
Students taking out private loans |
4.0%
Average amount $7,593 |
5.0%
Average amount $20,783 |
|
||
Students and Campus |
||
Undergraduate students |
3,475
Men 33.3% Women 66.7% |
2,307
Men 40.1% Women 59.9% |
Graduate students |
448
Men 22.8% Women 77.2% |
156
Men 20.5% Women 79.5% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
|
Low
|
Out-of-state students | 4.4% | 67.8% |
International students | 1.6% | 3.3% |
Campus local/setting | Suburb: Small | Suburb: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 1,413 | 2,406 |
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 North Carolina Florida Texas |
|
||
Academics |
||
Popular study areas |
|
|
Students to faculty ratio | 13:1 | 9:1 |
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% | 81.9% |
Dropout rate | 15.9% | 2.4% |
Transferred out | 38.3% | 15.7% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
Educational Administration and Supervision (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Religion/Religious Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Compare Similar Colleges
The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing
statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you
don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page.
There, you can search for the
specific colleges and initiate your comparison.














































































































































































































