SHU vs. York

Comparable Facts

Compare Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT with CUNY York College in Jamaica, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sacred Heart University is larger than York based on total student enrollment (11,022 students vs. 6,174 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, CT (Large Suburban setting); CUNY York College is in Jamaica, NY (Large City setting).
• Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. CUNY York College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sacred Heart University 15:1; CUNY York College 13:1.

SHU vs. York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or York? 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 CUNY York College than SHU ($5,131 vs. $47,848).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sacred Heart University are 14% lower than at CUNY York College ($19,140 vs. $22,260).
• Sacred Heart University is 585% more expensive for in-state tuition than York (about $43,046 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $7,358.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 229.3% higher at SHU than at CUNY York College (about $35,096 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $15,308.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sacred Heart University than at CUNY York College (99% vs. 83%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sacred Heart University students is 136.2% larger than aid received by CUNY York College students ($21,625 vs. $9,154).

SHU vs. York Admissions comparison

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

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCUNY York College 790/960.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SHU - Test-free; York - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: York Feb 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman SHU students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at York (3.15).
• SHU has a higher acceptance rate (65.4%) than York (64.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at SHU vs. 7.7% at York.

SHU vs. York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SHU and York? 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 CUNY York College's (20%).
• Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn a median of about $16,500 more per year than York graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,700 vs. $43,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, CUNY York College graduates have a $16,200 lower median loan debt than SHU graduates ($8,800 vs. $25,000).
• Among borrowers, York graduates have an estimated $168 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SHU graduates ($90 vs. $258).
• More SHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former York students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 47%)

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.