SHU vs. Albright College

Comparable Facts

Compare Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT with Albright College in Reading, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sacred Heart University is larger than Albright College based on total student enrollment (11,022 students vs. 1,380 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, CT (Large Suburban setting); Albright College is in Reading, PA (Small City setting).
• Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Albright College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sacred Heart University 15:1; Albright College 11:1.

SHU vs. Albright College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or Albright College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Albright College than SHU ($20,587 vs. $47,848).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Albright College are 24.6% lower than at Sacred Heart University ($14,426 vs. $19,140).
• Sacred Heart University is 73.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Albright College (about $21,322 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $29,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 73.3% higher at SHU than at Albright College (about $21,322 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $29,082.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Albright College than at Sacred Heart University (100% vs. 99%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Albright College students is 6.7% larger than aid received by Sacred Heart University students ($23,069 vs. $21,625).

SHU vs. Albright College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SHU or Albright College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Albright College and SHU.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SHU - Test-free; Albright College - Test-free.
• Accepted freshman SHU students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Albright College (3.05).
• Albright College has a higher acceptance rate (76.3%) than SHU (65.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at SHU vs. 7.4% at Albright College.

SHU vs. Albright College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SHU and Albright College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Sacred Heart University's six-year graduation rate (68%) is higher than Albright College's (60%).
• Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn a median of about $10,200 more per year than Albright College graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,700 vs. $49,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Sacred Heart University graduates have a $3,000 lower median loan debt than Albright College graduates ($25,000 vs. $28,000).
• Among borrowers, SHU graduates have an estimated $31 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Albright College graduates ($258 vs. $289).
• More SHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Albright College students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 71%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.