SHU vs. Catholic University of America

Should I go to Sacred Heart University or Catholic University of America? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SHU or Catholic University of America 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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Sacred Heart University vs. Catholic University of America comparison
Sacred Heart University Catholic University of America College 3 College 4
Sacred Heart University Catholic University of America
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Overview

SHU Catholic University of America
Location Fairfield, CT Washington, DC
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 10,721 4,968
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sacredheart.edu cua.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SHU Catholic University of America
Tuition (In State) $46,310 $53,040
Tuition (Out of State) $46,310 $53,040
Room & Board $17,520 $16,670
Avg Net Price $45,280 $36,031
Avg Grant Aid $19,484 $34,449
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 98%

Admission

SHU Catholic University of America
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,316 5,801
Admitted 8,750 4,965
Acceptance Rate 65.7% 85.6%
Enrolled % 20.3% 15.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.55 3.52
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025

Academics

SHU Catholic University of America
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Engineering (7%)

Outcomes

SHU Catholic University of America
Graduation Rate 68% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,700 $58,600
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,106
Median Loan Payment $258 $269

Diversity

SHU Catholic University of America
% Men 35% 46%
% Women 65% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 64%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 8% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 12% 4%

Students

SHU Catholic University of America
% In-State 23% 5%
% Out-of-State 75% 87%

Campus

SHU Catholic University of America
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Sacred Heart University is larger than than Catholic University of America based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 4,968 students)

SHU vs. Catholic University of America Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or Catholic University of America?

  • Catholic University of America is 14.5% more expensive to attend than SHU for in-state tuition ($53,040.00 vs. $46,310.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.5% higher at Catholic University of America than Sacred Heart University ($53,040.00 vs. $46,310.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Catholic University of America than SHU ($36,031 vs. $45,280)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Catholic University of America are 5.1% lower than costs at Sacred Heart University ($16,670 vs. $17,520)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Sacred Heart University than Catholic University of America (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catholic University of America students is 76.8% larger than aid received Sacred Heart University ($34,449 vs. $19,484)

SHU vs. Catholic University of America Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SHU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Catholic University of America (3.52)
  • Catholic University of America has a higher acceptance rate (85.6%) than SHU (65.7%)

SHU vs. Catholic University of America Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SHU or Catholic University of America? 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 Catholic University of America and SHU.

  • The graduation rate at SHU is the same as at Catholic University of America (68% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn on average $1,100 more per year than Catholic University of America graduates after ten years. ($59,700 vs. $58,600)
  • Sacred Heart University students graduate with a $1,106 lower median federal student loan debt than Catholic University of America graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,106)
  • SHU graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Catholic University of America graduates. ($258 vs. $269)
  • More Catholic University of America graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SHU students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 76%)

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