Palm Beach Atlantic vs. SU

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

Palm Beach Atlantic SU
Location West Palm Beach, FL Winchester, VA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 3,828 4,260
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #491 #537
Religious Affiliation Interdenominational United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pba.edu su.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Palm Beach Atlantic SU
Tuition (In State) $34,900 $33,790
Tuition (Out of State) $34,900 $33,790
Room & Board $11,690 $11,230
Avg Net Price $30,276 $26,143
Avg Grant Aid $22,749 $23,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Palm Beach Atlantic SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,220 2,296
Admitted 5,888 1,845
Acceptance Rate 94.7% 80.4%
Enrolled % 12% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 19/26
SAT Range 1000/1240 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

Palm Beach Atlantic SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (44%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

Palm Beach Atlantic SU
Graduation Rate 58% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,300 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,704 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $234 $258

Diversity

Palm Beach Atlantic SU
% Men 36% 32%
% Women 64% 68%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 59%
% Black 12% 11%
% Hispanic 17% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 13%

Students

Palm Beach Atlantic SU
% In-State 46% 52%
% Out-of-State 51% 48%

Campus

Palm Beach Atlantic 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 Palm Beach Atlantic based on total student enrollment (4,260 students vs. 3,828 students)

Palm Beach Atlantic vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palm Beach Atlantic or SU?

  • Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach is 3.3% more expensive to attend than SU for in-state tuition ($34,900.00 vs. $33,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.3% higher at Palm Beach Atlantic than Shenandoah University ($34,900.00 vs. $33,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shenandoah University than Palm Beach Atlantic ($26,143 vs. $30,276)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shenandoah University are 4.1% lower than costs at Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach ($11,230 vs. $11,690)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shenandoah University than Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shenandoah University students is 3.2% larger than aid received Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach ($23,467 vs. $22,749)

Palm Beach Atlantic vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach (1065) is 60 points higher than at SU (1005)
  • Incoming Palm Beach Atlantic students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at SU (22)
  • Accepted freshman SU students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Palm Beach Atlantic (3.36)
  • Palm Beach Atlantic has a higher acceptance rate (94.7%) than SU (80.4%)

Palm Beach Atlantic vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Palm Beach Atlantic 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 Palm Beach Atlantic.

  • The graduation rate at Palm Beach Atlantic is higher than Shenandoah University (58% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Shenandoah University earn on average $2,000 more per year than Palm Beach Atlantic graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $46,300)
  • Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach students graduate with a $2,296 lower median federal student loan debt than SU graduates. ($22,704 vs. $25,000)
  • Palm Beach Atlantic graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than SU graduates. ($234 vs. $258)
  • More SU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palm Beach Atlantic students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 56%)

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