Iona College vs. SU

Should I go to Iona College or Shenandoah University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Iona 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Pace University-New York JMU University of Lynchburg Adelphi University Roanoke College VCU Purchase College Marymount University Gwynedd Mercy College Longwood University Liberty University Monmouth University
Iona College vs. Shenandoah University comparison
Iona College Shenandoah University College 3 College 4
Iona College Shenandoah University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Iona College SU
Location New Rochelle, NY Winchester, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 3,720 4,343
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #492 #523
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iona.edu su.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Iona College SU
Tuition (In State) $43,680 $34,614
Tuition (Out of State) $43,680 $34,614
Room & Board $18,270 $11,800
Avg Net Price $28,557 $26,400
Avg Grant Aid $29,258 $24,100
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Iona College SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,289 3,763
Admitted 6,643 2,929
Acceptance Rate 91.1% 77.8%
Enrolled % 12.1% 16.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/28 19/26
SAT Range 1055/1265 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, 2026 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 Iona College SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (37%)
  • Communication (17%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 Iona College SU
Graduation Rate 57% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,400 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,047 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $269 $258

Diversity

 Iona College SU
% Men 5% 9%
% Women 11% 31%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 59%
% Black 8% 11%
% Hispanic 22% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 5% 13%

Students

 Iona College SU
% In-State 78% 58%
% Out-of-State 20% 42%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Shenandoah University is larger than than Iona College based on total student enrollment (4,343 students vs. 3,720 students)

Iona College vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iona College or SU?

  • Iona College is 26.2% more expensive to attend than SU for in-state tuition ($43,680.00 vs. $34,614.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.2% higher at Iona College than Shenandoah University ($43,680.00 vs. $34,614.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shenandoah University than Iona College ($26,400 vs. $28,557)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shenandoah University are 54.8% lower than costs at Iona College ($11,800 vs. $18,270)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Iona College as Shenandoah University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iona College students is 21.4% larger than aid received Shenandoah University ($29,258 vs. $24,100)

Iona College vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iona College (1005) is the same at SU (1005)
  • Incoming Iona College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at SU (22)
  • Accepted freshman SU students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Iona College (3.4)
  • Iona College has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than SU (77.8%)

Iona College vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iona 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 Iona College.

  • The graduation rate at Iona College is higher than Shenandoah University (57% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Iona College earn on average $10,100 more per year than SU graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $48,300)
  • Shenandoah University students graduate with a $1,047 lower median federal student loan debt than Iona College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,047)
  • SU graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Iona College graduates. ($258 vs. $269)
  • More Iona College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SU students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 60%)

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