SHU vs. CSE

Comparable Facts

Compare Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT with Saint Elizabeth University in Morristown, NJ on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sacred Heart University is larger than CSE based on total student enrollment (11,022 students vs. 871 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, CT (Large Suburban setting); Saint Elizabeth University is in Morristown, NJ (Large Suburban setting).
• Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Saint Elizabeth University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sacred Heart University 15:1; Saint Elizabeth University 8:1.

SHU vs. CSE Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or CSE? 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 Saint Elizabeth University than SHU ($23,437 vs. $47,848).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Elizabeth University are 28.7% lower than at Sacred Heart University ($13,652 vs. $19,140).
• Sacred Heart University is 37.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSE (about $13,663 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $36,741.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 37.2% higher at SHU than at Saint Elizabeth University (about $13,663 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $36,741.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sacred Heart University than at Saint Elizabeth University (99% vs. 96%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Elizabeth University students is 37.6% larger than aid received by Sacred Heart University students ($29,755 vs. $21,625).

SHU vs. CSE Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SHU or CSE? 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 CSE and SHU.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SHU - Test-free; CSE - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman SHU students have a 0.43 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at CSE (3.12).
• CSE has a higher acceptance rate (71%) than SHU (65.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at SHU vs. 7.6% at CSE.

SHU vs. CSE Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SHU and CSE? 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 Saint Elizabeth University's (58%).
• Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn a median of about $14,200 more per year than CSE graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,700 vs. $45,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Saint Elizabeth University and SHU graduates have the same median loan debt ($25,000 vs. $25,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Saint Elizabeth University and SHU graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($258 vs. $258).
• More SHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSE students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 57%)

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.