Potomac State College of West Virginia University vs BSC-Bismarck

Potomac State College of West Virginia University and Bismarck State College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to students seeking a quality education. Potomac State, nestled in the scenic mountains of West Virginia, boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for aspiring students. Bismarck State, located in the vibrant city of Bismarck, North Dakota, offers a wider range of academic programs, including popular majors like Business, Engineering, and Health Sciences. While Potomac State's student body is predominantly female, Bismarck State's student population is more evenly balanced between genders. Both colleges share a commitment to student success, with comparable graduation rates, ensuring that students receive the support and resources they need to thrive academically and professionally. To help you make an informed decision about your educational journey, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting the key differences between these two exceptional institutions. Dive into the details and discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Bismarck State College	Potomac State College of West Virginia University
Overview
Location	Bismarck, North Dakota	Keyser, West Virginia
Campus setting	City: Small	Town: Distant
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
Students retention rate		53.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	Open Admission	Open Admission
Application fees	$35
SAT range	N/A	N/A
ACT range	N/A	N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants
Total number of admissions given out
Admitted students who chose to enroll
Yield rate
Test scores (SAT/ACT)		Not required
High school GPA	N/A	N/A
Recommendation letters	N/A	N/A
High school transcript	N/A	N/A
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	N/A	N/A

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $16,883 Out of state: $18,887	In state: $16,888 Out of state: $24,040
Average net price	$10,249	$8,063
Tuition	In state: $4,007 Out of state: $6,011	In state: $4,608 Out of state: $11,760
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $3,649 Meal plan: $3,808	Room/dormitory: $4,388 Meal plan: $4,666
Available payment plans		Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	61.0% Average amount $3,903	88.0% Average amount $6,370
Students receiving federal student loan	43.0% Average amount $4,890	41.0% Average amount $5,337
Students taking out private loans	8.0% Average amount $8,086	2.0% Average amount $9,905

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	3,549 Men 52.5% Women 47.5%	1,174 Men 47.2% Women 52.8%
Graduate students	N/A	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	5.2%	25.9%
International students	0.4%	1.1%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity	425	650
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	North Dakota Minnesota South Dakota Montana Iowa	West Virginia Maryland Pennsylvania Virginia Ohio

Academics
Popular study areas	Engineering Technologies Health Professions Business Construction Trades Liberal Arts	Liberal Arts Business Education Agriculture Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio	14:1	17:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	52.6%	24.3%
Dropout rate	26.1%	39.8%
Transferred out	13.7%	36.0%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $94,930 Year 2: $104,749 Year 3: $113,181 Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $64,379 Year 2: $83,669 Year 3: $94,725 Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $81,394 Year 2: $76,773 Year 3: $87,805 Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $76,908 Year 2: $74,576 Year 3: $79,845 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $54,207 Year 2: $55,964 Year 3: $57,868 Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $54,093 Year 2: $48,600 Year 3: $57,431 Agricultural Business and Management (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $45,724 Year 2: $48,823 Year 3: $43,880 Business/Commerce, General (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $38,353 Year 2: $33,687 Year 3: $37,018 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $30,254 Year 2: $28,500 Year 3: $36,803 Business Operations Support and Assistant Services (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $31,670 Year 3: N/A	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $61,227 Year 2: $61,454 Year 3: $63,170 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $45,204 Year 2: $40,140 Year 3: $52,016 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $29,769 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $44,510 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,668 Year 2: $30,251 Year 3: $37,025 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $20,472 Year 2: $15,552 Year 3: N/A

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Potomac State College of West Virginia University vs BSC-Bismarck

Bismarck State College

Potomac State College of West Virginia University

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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