CAU vs. Shorter

Should I go to Clark Atlanta University or Shorter University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CAU or Shorter 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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Clark Atlanta University vs. Shorter University comparison
Clark Atlanta University Shorter University College 3 College 4
Clark Atlanta University Shorter University
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Overview

CAU Shorter
Location Atlanta, GA Rome, GA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 4,000 1,515
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #971 #872
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cau.edu shorter.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CAU Shorter
Tuition (In State) $21,948 $22,380
Tuition (Out of State) $21,948 $22,380
Room & Board $10,982 $9,400
Avg Net Price $30,015 $13,490
Avg Grant Aid $9,431 $20,057
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 100%

Admission

CAU Shorter
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,153 871
Admitted 9,088 849
Acceptance Rate 56.3% 97.5%
Enrolled % 12.7% 31.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.25
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/20 17/25
SAT Range 880/1120 960/1290
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2025 Aug 25, 2025

Academics

CAU Shorter
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (26%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

CAU Shorter
Graduation Rate 41% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $49,300
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 38%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $28,418
Median Loan Payment $320 $293

Diversity

CAU Shorter
% Men 24% 44%
% Women 76% 56%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU Yes No
% White 0% 62%
% Black 84% 24%
% Hispanic 0% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 13% 1%

Students

CAU Shorter
% In-State 27% 84%
% Out-of-State 72% 15%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Clark Atlanta University is larger than than Shorter based on total student enrollment (4,000 students vs. 1,515 students)

CAU vs. Shorter Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CAU or Shorter?

  • Shorter University is 2% more expensive to attend than CAU for in-state tuition ($22,380.00 vs. $21,948.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2% higher at Shorter than Clark Atlanta University ($22,380.00 vs. $21,948.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shorter University than CAU ($13,490 vs. $30,015)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shorter University are 16.8% lower than costs at Clark Atlanta University ($9,400 vs. $10,982)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shorter University than Clark Atlanta University (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shorter University students is 112.7% larger than aid received Clark Atlanta University ($20,057 vs. $9,431)

CAU vs. Shorter Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Shorter University (969) is 119 points higher than at CAU (850)
  • Incoming Shorter students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at CAU (18)
  • Accepted freshman CAU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.28) than students at Shorter (3.25)
  • Shorter has a higher acceptance rate (97.5%) than CAU (56.3%)

CAU vs. Shorter Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CAU or Shorter? 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 Shorter and CAU.

  • The graduation rate at Shorter is higher than Clark Atlanta University (47% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Shorter University earn on average $10,900 more per year than CAU graduates after ten years. ($49,300 vs. $38,400)
  • Shorter University students graduate with a $2,582 lower median federal student loan debt than CAU graduates. ($28,418 vs. $31,000)
  • Shorter graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than CAU graduates. ($293 vs. $320)
  • More Shorter graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CAU students, three years after graduation. (38% vs. 30%)

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