Bluefield University
Bluefield, VA 24605
About Bluefield University
Bluefield University is a private research university in Bluefield, Virginia, enrolling about 614 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 59.31% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $48,896 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Bluefield University charges 9% below the national private non-profit median tuition ($26,770).
- Versus the Virginia median, sticker tuition is 64% above.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 17.78%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $48,896.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Bluefield University is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 378% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluefield University | $26,770 | $25,573 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| Virginia (state median) | $16,364 | $8,852 | 107 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 4% below published tuition at Bluefield University
Key findings
- Bluefield University's average net price ($25,573) is 4% below published tuition ($26,770).
- Bluefield University charges 9% below the national private non-profit median tuition ($26,770).
- Versus the Virginia median, sticker tuition is 64% above.
Bluefield University tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $26,770
Finding Bluefield University charges 9% below the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $26,770. That is 9% below the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the Virginia median ($16,364), sticker tuition is 64% above. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 2.2×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Bluefield University versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Bluefield University versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Bluefield University is $25,573.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $25,573 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $16,721 above the Virginia median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $10,602 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Bluefield University’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 4% lower after grants and scholarships.
Bluefield University: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Bluefield University—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$26,770
Avg. net price
$25,573
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $25,807 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $25,454 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $25,732 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $25,374 |
| $110,001+ | $25,430 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $107,080. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Bluefield University is known for
Top program completions
- Biomedical Sciences, General86
- Public Administration and Social Service32
- General Studies26
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies25
- Business Administration and Management, General25
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Selective — about half of applicants (or fewer) are admitted.
- Yield: 27% of admitted students enrolled.
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Bluefield University a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Bluefield University is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Bluefield University.
Campus
Location
Bluefield, VA
City / state
- ZIP
- 24605
- NCES locale
- Town distant
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is 71% above the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Master's Colleges and Universities: Small Programs
Size
Enrollment
614
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 848
- Graduate
- 332
- Full-time share
- 90%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$21,855
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 51.36%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Bluefield University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Bluefield University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Bluefield University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $22,390 | $22,390 | $20,132 |
| 2014 | $22,840 | $22,840 | $19,828 |
| 2015 | $23,296 | $23,296 | $19,778 |
| 2016 | $24,380 | $24,380 | $21,779 |
| 2017 | $24,800 | $24,800 | $21,785 |
| 2018 | $26,060 | $26,060 | $21,997 |
| 2019 | $27,036 | $27,036 | $23,158 |
| 2020 | $27,570 | $27,570 | $22,442 |
| 2021 | $28,870 | $28,870 | $18,903 |
| 2022 | $29,420 | $29,420 | $22,701 |
| 2023 | $29,696 | $29,696 | $22,198 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution is selective, accepting about half of all applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Bluefield University reported total enrollment of about 614 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 56% male and 44% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (58.3%), Black or African American (22.6%), and Race/ethnicity unknown (9.3%). About 51.36% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 42.5% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
89.7% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Bluefield University in 2024 is 614 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 848 students. Graduate enrollment is about 332 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
61.5%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
15.77% 100% Completion Time
17.78% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 15.77% of students graduating from Bluefield University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Biomedical Sciences, General: 44% male / 56% female
- Public Administration and Social Service: 3% male / 97% female
- General Studies: 50% male / 50% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Bluefield University graduates earn a median of $48,896 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Bluefield University.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $48,896. Median federal loan debt: $21,855. Average net price used in cost models: $25,573.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Bluefield University graduates report median earnings of $48,896 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Bluefield University.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (35 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Bluefield University.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Bluefield University graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Bluefield University—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$7.3M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Virginia median 0.24× the median ($30.9M)
- Southeast median 0.38× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 0.28× the median ($26.4M)
- Virginia median 0.57× the median ($13,171)
- Southeast median 0.81× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 0.62× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 100.0%
- Virginia median 39.0 pp above median (61.0%)
- Southeast median 40.6 pp above median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 42.0 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $5,619
- Virginia median 0.69× the median ($8,196)
- Southeast median 0.82× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 0.74× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $8,767
- Virginia median 1.2× the median ($7,382)
- Southeast median 1.3× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 1.2× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Bluefield University at a glance
Bluefield University
Bluefield University is a private non-profit institution in Bluefield, VA, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Small Programs.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Biomedical Sciences, GeneralPublic Administration and Social ServiceGeneral Studies
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian58.3%Black or African American22.6%Race/ethnicity unknown9.3%
Schools near Bluefield University
Other campuses in Bluefield, VA when available, plus nearby institutions in Virginia.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within Virginia, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Bluefield University located?
Bluefield University is located in Bluefield, VA.
What is Bluefield University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Bluefield University is 59.3% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 1,057 applicants and 663 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Bluefield University's tuition?
Bluefield University tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $26,770 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $25,573 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Bluefield University cost?
Reported tuition is $26,770 and average net price is $25,573 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $9,480 annually.
Why is Bluefield University's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Bluefield University, published tuition is $26,770 while average net price is $25,573—about 4% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Bluefield University's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($25,573), completion (17.8% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($48,896). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Bluefield University?
Bluefield University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 848 students, White (58.3%), Black or African American (22.6%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Bluefield University?
About 42.5% of students at Bluefield University are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Bluefield University earn?
Median earnings are $41,923 six years after entry and $48,896 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Bluefield University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 17.8% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Bluefield University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $21,855.
Is Bluefield University public or private?
Bluefield University is a private nonprofit institution located in Bluefield, VA.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.