Randolph-Macon vs. Shepherd University

Should I go to Randolph Macon College or Shepherd University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Randolph-Macon 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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Randolph Macon College vs. Shepherd University comparison
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Randolph Macon College Shepherd University
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Overview

Randolph-Macon Shepherd University
Location Ashland, VA Shepherdstown, WV
Setting Large Suburban Town Fringe
Enrollment 1,523 3,318
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #427 #884
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rmc.edu shepherd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Randolph-Macon Shepherd University
Tuition (In State) $46,278 $6,288
Tuition (Out of State) $46,278 $15,774
Room & Board $14,630 $11,308
Avg Net Price $29,058 $12,651
Avg Grant Aid $32,348 $8,183
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 95%

Admission

Randolph-Macon Shepherd University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,620 1,793
Admitted 2,185 1,715
Acceptance Rate 83.4% 95.6%
Enrolled % 19.7% 33%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.6
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/29 20/24
SAT Range 1040/1210 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 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

Randolph-Macon Shepherd University
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • History (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Randolph-Macon Shepherd University
Graduation Rate 60% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,600 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,223
Median Loan Payment $279 $229

Diversity

Randolph-Macon Shepherd University
% Men 0% 3%
% Women 1% 9%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 82%
% Black 8% 10%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Randolph-Macon Shepherd University
% In-State 81% 72%
% Out-of-State 19% 27%

Campus

Randolph-Macon 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

  • Shepherd University is larger than than Randolph-Macon based on total student enrollment (3,318 students vs. 1,523 students)

Randolph-Macon vs. Shepherd University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Randolph-Macon or Shepherd University?

  • Randolph Macon College is 636% more expensive to attend than Shepherd University for in-state tuition ($46,278.00 vs. $6,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 193.4% higher at Randolph-Macon than Shepherd University ($46,278.00 vs. $15,774.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shepherd University than Randolph-Macon ($12,651 vs. $29,058)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shepherd University are 29.4% lower than costs at Randolph Macon College ($11,308 vs. $14,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Randolph Macon College than Shepherd University (100% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Randolph Macon College students is 295.3% larger than aid received Shepherd University ($32,348 vs. $8,183)

Randolph-Macon vs. Shepherd University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Randolph Macon College (1098) is 103 points higher than at Shepherd University (995)
  • Incoming Randolph-Macon students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Shepherd University (22)
  • Accepted freshman Randolph-Macon students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Shepherd University (3.6)
  • Shepherd University has a higher acceptance rate (95.6%) than Randolph-Macon (83.4%)

Randolph-Macon vs. Shepherd University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Randolph-Macon 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 Randolph-Macon.

  • The graduation rate at Randolph-Macon is higher than Shepherd University (60% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Randolph Macon College earn on average $9,100 more per year than Shepherd University graduates after ten years. ($50,600 vs. $41,500)
  • Shepherd University students graduate with a $4,777 lower median federal student loan debt than Randolph-Macon graduates. ($22,223 vs. $27,000)
  • Shepherd University graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than Randolph-Macon graduates. ($229 vs. $279)
  • More Randolph-Macon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shepherd University students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 53%)

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