Howard vs. SU

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

 Howard SU
Location Washington, DC Winchester, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 12,886 4,260
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #318 #537
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website howard.edu su.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Howard SU
Tuition (In State) $30,584 $33,790
Tuition (Out of State) $30,584 $33,790
Room & Board $15,880 $11,230
Avg Net Price $28,279 $26,143
Avg Grant Aid $20,063 $23,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 Howard SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,188 2,296
Admitted 10,253 1,845
Acceptance Rate 53.4% 80.4%
Enrolled % 24.3% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 19/26
SAT Range 1050/1290 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 Feb 15, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Howard SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 Howard SU
Graduation Rate 63% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

 Howard SU
% Men 29% 32%
% Women 71% 68%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 59%
% Black 91% 11%
% Hispanic 0% 6%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 5% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 13%

Students

 Howard SU
% In-State 1% 52%
% Out-of-State 91% 48%

Campus

 Howard 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

  • Howard University is larger than than SU based on total student enrollment (12,886 students vs. 4,260 students)

Howard vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or SU?

  • Shenandoah University is 10.5% more expensive to attend than Howard for in-state tuition ($33,790.00 vs. $30,584.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.5% higher at SU than Howard University ($33,790.00 vs. $30,584.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shenandoah University than Howard ($26,143 vs. $28,279)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shenandoah University are 41.4% lower than costs at Howard University ($11,230 vs. $15,880)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shenandoah University than Howard University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shenandoah University students is 17% larger than aid received Howard University ($23,467 vs. $20,063)

Howard vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Howard University (1105) is 100 points higher than at SU (1005)
  • Incoming Howard students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at SU (22)
  • Accepted freshman SU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Howard (3.66)
  • SU has a higher acceptance rate (80.4%) than Howard (53.4%)

Howard vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Howard 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 Howard.

  • The graduation rate at Howard is higher than Shenandoah University (63% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Howard University 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 Howard graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • SU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Howard graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More SU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 33%)

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