SHU vs. Simon's Rock

Comparable Facts

Compare Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT with Bard College at Simon's Rock in Great Barrington, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sacred Heart University is larger than Simon's Rock based on total student enrollment (11,022 students vs. 314 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, CT (Large Suburban setting); Bard College at Simon's Rock is in Great Barrington, MA (Distant Town setting).
• Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Bard College at Simon's Rock is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sacred Heart University 15:1; Bard College at Simon's Rock 6:1.

SHU vs. Simon's Rock Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or Simon's Rock? 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 Bard College at Simon's Rock than SHU ($41,013 vs. $47,848).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bard College at Simon's Rock are 1.5% lower than at Sacred Heart University ($18,852 vs. $19,140).
• Bard College at Simon's Rock is 36.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than SHU (about $18,376 more per year; $68,780.00 vs. $50,404.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 36.5% higher at Simon's Rock than at Sacred Heart University (about $18,376 more per year; $68,780.00 vs. $50,404.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Sacred Heart University as at Bard College at Simon's Rock (99% vs. 99%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College at Simon's Rock students is 97.2% larger than aid received by Sacred Heart University students ($42,635 vs. $21,625).

SHU vs. Simon's Rock Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SHU or Simon's Rock? 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 Simon's Rock and SHU.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SHU - Test-free; Simon's Rock - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Simon's Rock Jun 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman SHU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Simon's Rock (3.54).
• Simon's Rock has a higher acceptance rate (95.9%) than SHU (65.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at SHU vs. 53.6% at Simon's Rock.

SHU vs. Simon's Rock Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SHU and Simon's Rock? 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).

• Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn a median of about $19,800 more per year than Simon's Rock graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,700 vs. $39,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Bard College at Simon's Rock graduates have a $10,500 lower median loan debt than SHU graduates ($14,500 vs. $25,000).
• Among borrowers, Simon's Rock graduates have an estimated $109 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SHU graduates ($149 vs. $258).
• More SHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Simon's Rock students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 68%)

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.