SHU vs. College of the Atlantic

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

SHU College of the Atlantic
Location Fairfield, CT Bar Harbor, ME
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 10,721 380
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sacredheart.edu coa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SHU College of the Atlantic
Tuition (In State) $46,310 $44,280
Tuition (Out of State) $46,310 $44,280
Room & Board $17,520 $9,870
Avg Net Price $45,280 $22,316
Avg Grant Aid $19,484 $32,602
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 97%

Admission

SHU College of the Atlantic
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,316 486
Admitted 8,750 292
Acceptance Rate 65.7% 60.1%
Enrolled % 20.3% 32.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.55 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low 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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

SHU College of the Atlantic
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • General Studies (100%)

Outcomes

SHU College of the Atlantic
Graduation Rate 68% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,700 $28,200
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $258 $204

Diversity

SHU College of the Atlantic
% Men 35% 32%
% Women 65% 68%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 72%
% Black 4% 1%
% Hispanic 8% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 17%
% Unknown Race 12% 1%

Students

SHU College of the Atlantic
% In-State 23% 4%
% Out-of-State 75% 73%

Campus

SHU College of the Atlantic
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
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 College of the Atlantic based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 380 students)

SHU vs. College of the Atlantic Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or College of the Atlantic?

  • Sacred Heart University is 4.6% more expensive to attend than College of the Atlantic for in-state tuition ($46,310.00 vs. $44,280.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.6% higher at SHU than College of the Atlantic ($46,310.00 vs. $44,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of the Atlantic than SHU ($22,316 vs. $45,280)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Atlantic are 77.5% lower than costs at Sacred Heart University ($9,870 vs. $17,520)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Sacred Heart University than College of the Atlantic (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Atlantic students is 67.3% larger than aid received Sacred Heart University ($32,602 vs. $19,484)

SHU vs. College of the Atlantic Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman College of the Atlantic students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at SHU (3.55)
  • SHU has a higher acceptance rate (65.7%) than College of the Atlantic (60.1%)

SHU vs. College of the Atlantic Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SHU or College of the Atlantic? 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 College of the Atlantic and SHU.

  • The graduation rate at College of the Atlantic is higher than Sacred Heart University (71% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn on average $31,500 more per year than College of the Atlantic graduates after ten years. ($59,700 vs. $28,200)
  • College of the Atlantic students graduate with a $5,250 lower median federal student loan debt than SHU graduates. ($19,750 vs. $25,000)
  • College of the Atlantic graduates are paying $54 less per month on federal student loans than SHU graduates. ($204 vs. $258)
  • More SHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of the Atlantic students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 75%)

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