Elizabethtown College vs. SU

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

Elizabethtown College SU
Location Elizabethtown, PA Winchester, VA
Setting Town Fringe Small City
Enrollment 2,021 4,260
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #280 #537
Religious Affiliation Church of Brethren United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website etown.edu su.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Elizabethtown College SU
Tuition (In State) $35,020 $33,790
Tuition (Out of State) $35,020 $33,790
Room & Board $12,642 $11,230
Avg Net Price $26,723 $26,143
Avg Grant Aid $21,405 $23,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Elizabethtown College SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,977 2,296
Admitted 2,415 1,845
Acceptance Rate 81.1% 80.4%
Enrolled % 19.2% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/30 19/26
SAT Range 1070/1280 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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Elizabethtown College SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

Elizabethtown College SU
Graduation Rate 79% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

Elizabethtown College SU
% Men 39% 32%
% Women 61% 68%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 86% 59%
% Black 3% 11%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 13%

Students

Elizabethtown College SU
% In-State 72% 52%
% Out-of-State 27% 48%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Shenandoah University is larger than than Elizabethtown College based on total student enrollment (4,260 students vs. 2,021 students)

Elizabethtown College vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Elizabethtown College or SU?

  • Elizabethtown College is 3.6% more expensive to attend than SU for in-state tuition ($35,020.00 vs. $33,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.6% higher at Elizabethtown College than Shenandoah University ($35,020.00 vs. $33,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shenandoah University than Elizabethtown College ($26,143 vs. $26,723)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shenandoah University are 12.6% lower than costs at Elizabethtown College ($11,230 vs. $12,642)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Elizabethtown College as Shenandoah University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shenandoah University students is 9.6% larger than aid received Elizabethtown College ($23,467 vs. $21,405)

Elizabethtown College vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Elizabethtown College (1125) is 120 points higher than at SU (1005)
  • Incoming Elizabethtown College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at SU (22)
  • Accepted freshman SU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Elizabethtown College (3.66)
  • Elizabethtown College has a higher acceptance rate (81.1%) than SU (80.4%)

Elizabethtown College vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Elizabethtown College 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 Elizabethtown College.

  • The graduation rate at Elizabethtown College is higher than Shenandoah University (79% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Elizabethtown College earn on average $3,500 more per year than SU graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $48,300)
  • Shenandoah University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Elizabethtown College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • SU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Elizabethtown College graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Elizabethtown College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SU students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 60%)

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