Paine College vs. Shaw University

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

Paine College Shaw University
Location Augusta, GA Raleigh, NC
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 344 962
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website paine.edu shawu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Paine College Shaw University
Tuition (In State) $12,706 $12,408
Tuition (Out of State) $12,706 $12,408
Room & Board $7,512 $8,940
Avg Net Price $17,048 $14,111
Avg Grant Aid $10,316 $15,568
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

Paine College Shaw University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,253 10,699
Admitted 1,878 3,261
Acceptance Rate 83.4% 30.5%
Enrolled % 6.4% 5.7%
Avg High School GPA 2.81 2.6
Typical High School Grades B- C+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 15/19
SAT Range 776/976
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2026 Jul 30, 2026

Academics

Paine College Shaw University
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (16%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Human Services (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Paine College Shaw University
Graduation Rate 27% 27%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $28,400 $29,000
Making Student Loan Payments 15% 15%
Median Student Loan Debt $35,750 $38,000
Median Loan Payment $369 $392

Diversity

Paine College Shaw University
% Men 0% 5%
% Women 1% 7%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU Yes Yes
% White 2% 1%
% Black 89% 58%
% Hispanic 2% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 39%

Students

Paine College Shaw University
% In-State 73% 55%
% Out-of-State 26% 34%

Campus

Paine 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

  • Shaw University is larger than than Paine College based on total student enrollment (962 students vs. 344 students)

Paine College vs. Shaw University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Paine College or Shaw University?

  • Paine College is 2.4% more expensive to attend than Shaw University for in-state tuition ($12,706.00 vs. $12,408.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.4% higher at Paine College than Shaw University ($12,706.00 vs. $12,408.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shaw University than Paine College ($14,111 vs. $17,048)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Paine College are 19% lower than costs at Shaw University ($7,512 vs. $8,940)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Paine College than Shaw University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shaw University students is 50.9% larger than aid received Paine College ($15,568 vs. $10,316)

Paine College vs. Shaw University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Paine College students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (2.81) than students at Shaw University (2.6)
  • Paine College has a higher acceptance rate (83.4%) than Shaw University (30.5%)

Paine College vs. Shaw University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Paine 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 Paine College.

  • The graduation rate at Paine College is the same as at Shaw University (27% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from Shaw University earn on average $600 more per year than Paine College graduates after ten years. ($29,000 vs. $28,400)
  • Paine College students graduate with a $2,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Shaw University graduates. ($35,750 vs. $38,000)
  • Paine College graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than Shaw University graduates. ($369 vs. $392)
  • More Shaw University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Paine College students, three years after graduation. (15% vs. 15%)

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