Paul Smith's College vs. Shaw University

Should I go to Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science or Shaw University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Paul Smith's 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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Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science vs. Shaw University comparison
Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science Shaw University College 3 College 4
Shaw University
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Overview

Paul Smith's College Shaw University
Location Paul Smiths, NY Raleigh, NC
Setting Distant Rural Large City
Enrollment 686 1,067
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website paulsmiths.edu shawu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Paul Smith's College Shaw University
Tuition (In State) $32,012 $11,808
Tuition (Out of State) $32,012 $11,808
Room & Board $15,546 $8,514
Avg Net Price $25,056 $14,204
Avg Grant Aid $24,545 $15,548
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 87%

Admission

Paul Smith's College Shaw University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 955 2,435
Admitted 811 1,486
Acceptance Rate 84.9% 61%
Enrolled % 24% 13.5%
Avg High School GPA 2.8 2.6
Typical High School Grades B- C+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 30, 2025

Academics

Paul Smith's College Shaw University
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Natural Resources Conservation (34%)
  • Personal and Culinary Services (22%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Human Services (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Paul Smith's College Shaw University
Graduation Rate 37% 27%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,700 $29,000
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 15%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $38,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $392

Diversity

Paul Smith's College Shaw University
% Men 64% 47%
% Women 36% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No Yes
% White 82% 1%
% Black 3% 58%
% Hispanic 4% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 8% 39%

Students

Paul Smith's College Shaw University
% In-State 53% 55%
% Out-of-State 45% 34%

Campus

Paul Smith's 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 Paul Smith's College based on total student enrollment (1,067 students vs. 686 students)

Paul Smith's College vs. Shaw University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Paul Smith's College or Shaw University?

  • Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science is 171.1% more expensive to attend than Shaw University for in-state tuition ($32,012.00 vs. $11,808.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 171.1% higher at Paul Smith's College than Shaw University ($32,012.00 vs. $11,808.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shaw University than Paul Smith's College ($14,204 vs. $25,056)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shaw University are 82.6% lower than costs at Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science ($8,514 vs. $15,546)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science than Shaw University (100% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science students is 57.9% larger than aid received Shaw University ($24,545 vs. $15,548)

Paul Smith's College vs. Shaw University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Paul Smith's College students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (2.8) than students at Shaw University (2.6)
  • Paul Smith's College has a higher acceptance rate (84.9%) than Shaw University (61%)

Paul Smith's College vs. Shaw University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Paul Smith's 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 Paul Smith's College.

  • The graduation rate at Paul Smith's College is higher than Shaw University (37% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science earn on average $7,700 more per year than Shaw University graduates after ten years. ($36,700 vs. $29,000)
  • Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science students graduate with a $13,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Shaw University graduates. ($25,000 vs. $38,000)
  • Paul Smith's College graduates are paying $134 less per month on federal student loans than Shaw University graduates. ($258 vs. $392)
  • More Paul Smith's College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shaw University students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 15%)

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