BGSU vs. SU

Should I go to Bowling Green State University Main Campus or Shenandoah University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BGSU or SU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Bowling Green State University Main Campus vs. Shenandoah University comparison
Bowling Green State University Main Campus Shenandoah University College 3 College 4
Bowling Green State University Main Campus Shenandoah University
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Overview

 BGSU SU
Location Bowling Green, OH Winchester, VA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 16,920 4,260
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #728 #537
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bgsu.edu su.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BGSU SU
Tuition (In State) $11,272 $33,790
Tuition (Out of State) $19,845 $33,790
Room & Board $12,584 $11,230
Avg Net Price $20,485 $26,143
Avg Grant Aid $8,898 $23,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 100%

Admission

 BGSU SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,447 2,296
Admitted 13,723 1,845
Acceptance Rate 78.7% 80.4%
Enrolled % 21.4% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 19/26
SAT Range 990/1200 1010/1230
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 BGSU SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 BGSU SU
Graduation Rate 58% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,600 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $258

Diversity

 BGSU SU
% Men 42% 32%
% Women 58% 68%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 78% 59%
% Black 10% 11%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 13%

Students

 BGSU SU
% In-State 88% 52%
% Out-of-State 11% 48%

Campus

 BGSU SU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is larger than than SU based on total student enrollment (16,920 students vs. 4,260 students)

BGSU vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BGSU or SU?

  • Shenandoah University is 199.8% more expensive to attend than BGSU for in-state tuition ($33,790.00 vs. $11,272.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 70.3% higher at SU than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($33,790.00 vs. $19,845.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bowling Green State University Main Campus than SU ($20,485 vs. $26,143)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shenandoah University are 12.1% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($11,230 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shenandoah University than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (100% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shenandoah University students is 163.7% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($23,467 vs. $8,898)

BGSU vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BGSU or SU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SU or BGSU .

  • The average SAT score at Bowling Green State University Main Campus (1012) is 7 points higher than at SU (1005)
  • Incoming BGSU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at SU (22)
  • Accepted freshman SU students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at BGSU (3.6)
  • SU has a higher acceptance rate (80.4%) than BGSU (78.7%)

BGSU vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BGSU or SU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between SU and BGSU.

  • The graduation rate at BGSU is higher than Shenandoah University (58% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Shenandoah University earn on average $4,700 more per year than BGSU graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $43,600)
  • Shenandoah University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
  • SU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More SU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BGSU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 53%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/