Bluefield State University

Bluefield State University's program mix is anchored in health sciences and nursing — a portfolio aligned with the institution's mission as a regional public university serving Appalachia. General Studies is the largest program with 25 graduates, followed by Nursing, Business Administration, Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, and Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians.

Across 0 ranked programs, several deliver strong four-year earnings outcomes aligned with regional healthcare demand. The earnings pattern reflects the institution's health-sciences concentration.

Nursing graduates earn median earnings of $82,760 four years after enrollment, while Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions graduates earn $67,441 and General Studies graduates earn $40,711. These outcomes reflect direct-to-workforce pathways in nursing, allied health, and clinical support roles where regional employers recruit actively and compensation reflects in-demand credentials.

Bluefield State University's program portfolio is concentrated in fields with stable regional labor-market demand. Health sciences and nursing programs dominate the degree output, positioning graduates for immediate employment in West Virginia's healthcare sector and surrounding regions.

The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these health-focused programs align with sustained workforce demand in rural and regional healthcare markets.

Bluefield State University's published cost of attendance is $21,839. Net price by income band reflects the institution's public funding model and aid structure: low-income families pay approximately $11,810, middle-income families pay around $14,630, and higher-income families pay approximately $16,242.

Azimuth ranks Bluefield State University #171 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Bluefield State participates in federal need-based aid programs including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, and the institution offers state and institutional aid to qualifying students. The gap between published cost of attendance and net price reflects the combined effect of federal, state, and institutional aid; families should review the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) to understand how sticker price and actual out-of-pocket cost differ.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $18,250, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $7,550; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $61,729, median federal debt of $18,250 projects to a monthly payment of about $206 under standard ten-year repayment.

For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Bluefield State University earn median 4-year earnings of $61,729, placing Bluefield State University in the 51.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Bluefield State University sits in the 91.6 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Bluefield State University #478 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 67.7 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect lifetime returns relative to WV's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $30,928 (the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential).

The earnings pattern centers on health and nursing fields, which dominate Bluefield State University's degree output and drive strong post-graduation outcomes. General Studies is the largest program with 25 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $40,711, representing 0.8× the national benchmark for the field [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/).

The Nursing program graduates 24 students earning median 4-year earnings of $82,760, at 0.9× benchmark. The Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions program graduates 12 students with median 4-year earnings of $67,441, reaching 1.0× benchmark.

This concentration in Health fields reflects both the institution's program focus and the strong, stable labor-market demand for healthcare professionals in West Virginia and beyond.