RU vs. Shepherd University

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

RU Shepherd University
Location Radford, VA Shepherdstown, WV
Setting Distant Town Town Fringe
Enrollment 7,531 3,318
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #449 #884
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website radford.edu shepherd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

RU Shepherd University
Tuition (In State) $8,401 $6,288
Tuition (Out of State) $20,853 $15,774
Room & Board $11,973 $11,308
Avg Net Price $18,282 $12,651
Avg Grant Aid $8,968 $8,183
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 95%

Admission

RU Shepherd University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,072 1,793
Admitted 10,036 1,715
Acceptance Rate 90.6% 95.6%
Enrolled % 11% 33%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 20/24
SAT Range 950/1170 900/1140
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

Academics

RU Shepherd University
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)

Outcomes

RU Shepherd University
Graduation Rate 56% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,400 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $22,223
Median Loan Payment $237 $229

Diversity

RU Shepherd University
% Men 5% 3%
% Women 19% 9%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 82%
% Black 13% 10%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

RU Shepherd University
% In-State 88% 72%
% Out-of-State 11% 27%

Campus

RU Shepherd University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Radford University is larger than than Shepherd University based on total student enrollment (7,531 students vs. 3,318 students)

RU vs. Shepherd University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RU or Shepherd University?

  • Radford University is 33.6% more expensive to attend than Shepherd University for in-state tuition ($8,401.00 vs. $6,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.2% higher at RU than Shepherd University ($20,853.00 vs. $15,774.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shepherd University than RU ($12,651 vs. $18,282)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shepherd University are 5.9% lower than costs at Radford University ($11,308 vs. $11,973)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Radford University than Shepherd University (99% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Radford University students is 9.6% larger than aid received Shepherd University ($8,968 vs. $8,183)

RU vs. Shepherd University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Shepherd University students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at RU (3.31)
  • Shepherd University has a higher acceptance rate (95.6%) than RU (90.6%)

RU vs. Shepherd University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RU or Shepherd 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 Shepherd University and RU.

  • The graduation rate at RU is higher than Shepherd University (56% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $5,900 more per year than Shepherd University graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $41,500)
  • Shepherd University students graduate with a $777 lower median federal student loan debt than RU graduates. ($22,223 vs. $23,000)
  • Shepherd University graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than RU graduates. ($229 vs. $237)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shepherd University students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 53%)

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