SHMS vs. SAU

Should I go to Sacred Heart Major Seminary or Spring Arbor University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SHMS or SAU 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Sacred Heart Major Seminary vs. Spring Arbor University comparison
Sacred Heart Major Seminary Spring Arbor University College 3 College 4
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

SHMS SAU
Location Detroit, MI Spring Arbor, MI
Setting Large City Small Suburban
Enrollment 338 2,396
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #501
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Free Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website shms.edu arbor.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SHMS SAU
Tuition (In State) $22,157 $31,020
Tuition (Out of State) $22,157 $31,020
Room & Board $11,665 $10,652
Avg Net Price - $22,375
Avg Grant Aid $0 $20,677
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 99%

Admission

SHMS SAU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4 2,312
Admitted 4 1,094
Acceptance Rate 100% 47.3%
Enrolled % 100% 20.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26
SAT Range 970/1135
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 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

SHMS SAU
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (64%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (20%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (16%)
  • Business (31%)
  • Work and Family Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Human Services (9%)

Outcomes

SHMS SAU
Graduation Rate - 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $42,600
Making Student Loan Payments - 58%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $24,043
Median Loan Payment N/A $248

Diversity

SHMS SAU
% Men 66% 23%
% Women 34% 77%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 51% 77%
% Black 1% 10%
% Hispanic 19% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 9% 1%
% Unknown Race 19% 5%

Students

SHMS SAU
% In-State 100% 83%
% Out-of-State 0% 13%

Campus

SHMS SAU
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

  • Spring Arbor University is larger than than SHMS based on total student enrollment (2,396 students vs. 338 students)

SHMS vs. SAU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHMS or SAU?

  • Spring Arbor University is 40% more expensive to attend than SHMS for in-state tuition ($31,020.00 vs. $22,157.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 40% higher at SAU than Sacred Heart Major Seminary ($31,020.00 vs. $22,157.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Spring Arbor University are 9.5% lower than costs at Sacred Heart Major Seminary ($10,652 vs. $11,665)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Spring Arbor University than Sacred Heart Major Seminary (99% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Spring Arbor University students is ?% larger than aid received Sacred Heart Major Seminary ($20,677 vs. $0)

SHMS vs. SAU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SAU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at SHMS (3.48)
  • SHMS has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than SAU (47.3%)

SHMS vs. SAU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SHMS or SAU? 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 SAU and SHMS.

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