Francis Marion vs Shepherd
What each college publishes, side by side. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt come from federal data.
C+Compass Score: Solid (grade C+): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.Francis Marion UniversityFlorence, SCCompass Score: SolidB-Compass Score: Good (grade B-): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.Shepherd UniversityShepherdstown, WVCompass Score: Good
At a glance
- Shepherd has the higher graduation rate: 51% against 43% at Francis Marion.
- Median earnings ten years after entry are higher at Shepherd: $49,358, against $43,888 at Francis Marion.
- Median debt is lower at Shepherd: $21,600, against $27,000 at Francis Marion.
Scores
Compass Score
C+Compass Score: Solid (grade C+): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.
B-Compass Score: Good (grade B-): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.
Academic Excellence
B-Academic Excellence: Good (grade B-): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.
B-Academic Excellence: Good (grade B-): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.
Value
BValue: Good (grade B): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 49%
B+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 24%
The college
Category
Regional universities
Regional universities
Location
Florence, SC
Shepherdstown, WV
Setting
Rural
Rural
Students
4,017
3,318
Sports
NCAA Division II · Conference Carolinas
NCAA Division II · Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
Admission
Admission rate
86%
97%
Average SAT
1015
1034
ACT middle 50%
16–24
19–24
Outcomes
Graduation rate
43%
51%
First-year retention
70%
71%
Median earnings 10 years after entry
$43,888
$49,358
Median debt
$27,000
$21,600
Cost
Average price after aid
About $11,000
About $11,000
Price after aid, by family income
Up to $30,000
About $10,000
About $8,000
$30,001–$48,000
About $9,000
About $8,000
$48,001–$75,000
About $12,000
About $10,000
$75,001–$110,000
About $14,000
About $14,000
Over $110,000
About $17,000
About $16,000
Top majors by graduate earnings
Bachelor's majors
- Nursing $72,580
- Accounting $58,797
- Business administration $51,522
- Biology $51,447
- Health administration $51,005
- Nursing $78,764
- Computing and information science $74,218
- Sociology $63,412
- Business administration $62,588
- Health sciences $56,953
Compare with another college
The Compass Score and grades are College Compass Guide’s own ratings. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt are federal data. This comparison doesn’t rank the two colleges; the figures are shown as published.