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NCAT Morehouse Florida A&M Tuskegee University Spelman Reinhardt University Tennessee State University Savannah State University KSU Fisk University Georgia State Albany State University| Clark Atlanta University | Shorter University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
CAU | Shorter | ||
| Location | Atlanta, GA | Rome, GA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 4,135 | 1,447 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #976 | #977 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | United Methodist | Baptist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | cau.edu | shorter.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CAU | Shorter | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $23,484 | $23,514 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $23,484 | $23,514 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,018 | $9,784 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $29,736 | $16,692 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,188 | $18,168 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 78% | 100% |
Admission |
CAU | Shorter | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 27,672 | 783 | ||
| Admitted | 17,884 | 759 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 64.6% | 96.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 6% | 35.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.28 | 3.25 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 16/20 | 17/23 | ||
| SAT Range | 880/1120 | 900/1130 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Aug 25, 2026 |
Academics |
CAU | Shorter | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 15:1 | ||
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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 | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 11% | 5% | ||
| 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% | 81% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 72% | 16% | ||
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 (4,135 students vs. 1,447 students)
CAU vs. Shorter Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CAU or Shorter?
- Shorter University is 0.1% more expensive to attend than CAU for in-state tuition ($23,514.00 vs. $23,484.00)
- Out of state tuition is 0.1% higher at Shorter than Clark Atlanta University ($23,514.00 vs. $23,484.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shorter University than CAU ($16,692 vs. $29,736)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shorter University are 22.8% lower than costs at Clark Atlanta University ($9,784 vs. $12,018)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Shorter University than Clark Atlanta University (100% vs. 78%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Shorter University students is 62.4% larger than aid received Clark Atlanta University ($18,168 vs. $11,188)
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 (96.9%) than CAU (64.6%)
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/