Edward Waters College vs. Shaw University

Should I go to Edward Waters College or Shaw University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Edward Waters College or Shaw University 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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Edward Waters College vs. Shaw University comparison
Edward Waters College Shaw University College 3 College 4
Edward Waters College Shaw University
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Overview

Edward Waters College Shaw University
Location Jacksonville, FL Raleigh, NC
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 1,181 1,067
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation African Methodist Episcopal Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ewc.edu shawu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Edward Waters College Shaw University
Tuition (In State) $14,658 $11,808
Tuition (Out of State) $14,658 $11,808
Room & Board $8,010 $8,514
Avg Net Price $13,649 $14,204
Avg Grant Aid $12,984 $15,548
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 87%

Admission

Edward Waters College Shaw University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,988 2,435
Admitted 7,509 1,486
Acceptance Rate 83.5% 61%
Enrolled % 4.2% 13.5%
Avg High School GPA 2.64 2.6
Typical High School Grades C+ C+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/18
SAT Range 820/990
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 30, 2025

Academics

Edward Waters College Shaw University
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (19%)
  • Psychology (14%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Human Services (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Edward Waters College Shaw University
Graduation Rate 18% 27%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $27,800 $29,000
Making Student Loan Payments 14% 15%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $38,000
Median Loan Payment N/A $392

Diversity

Edward Waters College Shaw University
% Men 54% 47%
% Women 46% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU Yes Yes
% White 4% 1%
% Black 89% 58%
% Hispanic 3% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 39%

Students

Edward Waters College Shaw University
% In-State 77% 55%
% Out-of-State 20% 34%

Campus

Edward Waters College Shaw University
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

  • Edward Waters College is larger than than Shaw University based on total student enrollment (1,181 students vs. 1,067 students)

Edward Waters College vs. Shaw University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Edward Waters College or Shaw University?

  • Edward Waters College is 24.1% more expensive to attend than Shaw University for in-state tuition ($14,658.00 vs. $11,808.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.1% higher at Edward Waters College than Shaw University ($14,658.00 vs. $11,808.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Edward Waters College than Shaw University ($13,649 vs. $14,204)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Edward Waters College are 6.3% lower than costs at Shaw University ($8,010 vs. $8,514)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Edward Waters College than Shaw University (99% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shaw University students is 19.7% larger than aid received Edward Waters College ($15,548 vs. $12,984)

Edward Waters College vs. Shaw University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Edward Waters College or Shaw University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Shaw University or Edward Waters College .

  • Accepted freshman Edward Waters College students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (2.64) than students at Shaw University (2.6)
  • Edward Waters College has a higher acceptance rate (83.5%) than Shaw University (61%)

Edward Waters College vs. Shaw University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Edward Waters College or Shaw University? 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 Shaw University and Edward Waters College.

  • The graduation rate at Shaw University is higher than Edward Waters College (27% vs. 18%)
  • Graduates from Shaw University earn on average $1,200 more per year than Edward Waters College graduates after ten years. ($29,000 vs. $27,800)
  • More Shaw University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Edward Waters College students, three years after graduation. (15% vs. 14%)

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