SHU vs. The Catholic University of America

Deciding between Sacred Heart University and The Catholic University of America? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Sacred Heart University
The Catholic University of America

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • SHU Fairfield, CT
  • The Catholic University of America Washington, DC
  • Setting
  • SHU Large Suburban
  • The Catholic University of America Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • SHU 11,022
  • The Catholic University of America 5,243
  • Type
  • SHU Private 4 Year
  • The Catholic University of America Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • SHU
  • The Catholic University of America
  • Religious Affiliation
  • SHU Roman Catholic
  • The Catholic University of America Roman Catholic
  • Status
  • SHU Non-profit
  • The Catholic University of America Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • SHU
  • The Catholic University of America

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • SHU $50,404
  • The Catholic University of America $58,378
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • SHU $50,404
  • The Catholic University of America $58,378
  • Room & Board
  • SHU $19,140
  • The Catholic University of America $18,200
  • Average Net Price
  • SHU $47,848
  • The Catholic University of America $32,705
  • Average Grant Aid
  • SHU $21,625
  • The Catholic University of America $42,657
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • SHU 99%
  • The Catholic University of America 99%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • SHU 16,495
  • The Catholic University of America 6,714
  • Admitted
  • SHU 10,781
  • The Catholic University of America 5,558
  • Acceptance Rate
  • SHU 65.4%
  • The Catholic University of America 82.8%
  • Enrolled
  • SHU 17.5%
  • The Catholic University of America 13.4%
  • Typical SAT score
  • SHU
  • The Catholic University of America
  • Typical ACT score
  • SHU
  • The Catholic University of America
  • Average High School GPA
  • SHU 3.55
  • The Catholic University of America 3.52
  • Typical High School Grades
  • SHU A-
  • The Catholic University of America A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • SHU Unavailable
  • The Catholic University of America Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • SHU Low
  • The Catholic University of America
  • ACT Range
  • SHU
  • The Catholic University of America
  • SAT Range
  • SHU
  • The Catholic University of America
  • Submit Test Scores
  • SHU Test-free
  • The Catholic University of America Test-free
  • Application Deadline
  • SHU
  • The Catholic University of America Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • SHU 15:1
  • The Catholic University of America 11:1
  • Popular Majors
  • SHU
    • Business (36%)
    • Health Professions (18%)
    • Psychology (13%)
    • Communication (6%)
    • Social Sciences (6%)
  • The Catholic University of America
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Architecture (11%)
    • Business (11%)
    • Health Professions (9%)
    • Engineering (7%)

  • Outcomes

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

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • SHU 36%
  • The Catholic University of America 48%
  • % Women
  • SHU 64%
  • The Catholic University of America 52%
  • Racial Diversity
  • SHU Low
  • The Catholic University of America Medium
  • HBCU
  • SHU No
  • The Catholic University of America No
  • % White
  • SHU 71%
  • The Catholic University of America 64%
  • % Asian
  • SHU 2%
  • The Catholic University of America 3%
  • % Black
  • SHU 4%
  • The Catholic University of America 5%
  • % Hispanic
  • SHU 8%
  • The Catholic University of America 13%
  • % Native American
  • SHU 0%
  • The Catholic University of America 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • SHU 0%
  • The Catholic University of America 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • SHU 2%
  • The Catholic University of America 5%
  • % International
  • SHU 1%
  • The Catholic University of America 5%
  • % Unknown Race
  • SHU 12%
  • The Catholic University of America 4%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • SHU 23%
  • The Catholic University of America 8%
  • % Out-of-State
  • SHU 76%
  • The Catholic University of America 84%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT with The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sacred Heart University is larger than The Catholic University of America based on total student enrollment (11,022 students vs. 5,243 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, CT (Large Suburban setting); The Catholic University of America is in Washington, DC (Large City setting).
  • Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. The Catholic University of America is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Sacred Heart University 15:1; The Catholic University of America 11:1.

SHU vs. The Catholic University of America Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or The Catholic University of America? 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 The Catholic University of America than SHU ($32,705 vs. $47,848).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The Catholic University of America are 4.9% lower than at Sacred Heart University ($18,200 vs. $19,140).
  • The Catholic University of America is 15.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than SHU (about $7,974 more per year; $58,378.00 vs. $50,404.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 15.8% higher at The Catholic University of America than at Sacred Heart University (about $7,974 more per year; $58,378.00 vs. $50,404.00).
  • The same share of students receive grant aid at Sacred Heart University as at The Catholic University of America (99% vs. 99%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The Catholic University of America students is 97.3% larger than aid received by Sacred Heart University students ($42,657 vs. $21,625).

SHU vs. The Catholic University of America Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SHU or The Catholic University of America? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between The Catholic University of America and SHU.

  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SHU - Test-free; The Catholic University of America - Test-free.
  • Typical fall application deadline: The Catholic University of America Jan 15, 2027.
  • Enrolled freshman SHU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at The Catholic University of America (3.52).
  • The Catholic University of America has a higher acceptance rate (82.8%) than SHU (65.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at SHU vs. 13.4% at The Catholic University of America.

SHU vs. The Catholic University of America Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SHU and The Catholic University of America? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • The graduation rate at SHU is the same as at The Catholic University of America (68% vs. 68%).
  • Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn a median of about $1,100 more per year than The Catholic University of America graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,700 vs. $58,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Sacred Heart University graduates have a $1,106 lower median loan debt than The Catholic University of America graduates ($25,000 vs. $26,106).
  • Among borrowers, SHU graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than The Catholic University of America graduates ($258 vs. $269).
  • More The 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.