SHU vs. Curtis Institute of Music

Comparable Facts

Compare Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT with Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sacred Heart University is larger than Curtis Institute of Music based on total student enrollment (11,022 students vs. 161 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, CT (Large Suburban setting); Curtis Institute of Music is in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting).
• Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Curtis Institute of Music is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sacred Heart University 15:1; Curtis Institute of Music 2:1.

SHU vs. Curtis Institute of Music Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or Curtis Institute of Music? 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 Curtis Institute of Music than SHU ($23,686 vs. $47,848).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sacred Heart University are 9% lower than at Curtis Institute of Music ($19,140 vs. $21,035).
• In-state tuition differs between Sacred Heart University and Curtis Institute of Music ($50,404.00 vs. $0.00).
• Out-of-state tuition differs between SHU and Curtis Institute of Music ($50,404.00 vs. $0.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Curtis Institute of Music than at Sacred Heart University (100% vs. 99%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sacred Heart University students is 178.2% larger than aid received by Curtis Institute of Music students ($21,625 vs. $7,774).

SHU vs. Curtis Institute of Music Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SHU or Curtis Institute of Music? 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 Curtis Institute of Music and SHU.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SHU - Test-free; Curtis Institute of Music - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Curtis Institute of Music Dec 18, 2026.
• SHU has a higher acceptance rate (65.4%) than Curtis Institute of Music (4.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at SHU vs. 92.3% at Curtis Institute of Music.

SHU vs. Curtis Institute of Music Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SHU and Curtis Institute of Music? 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.

• Sacred Heart University's six-year graduation rate is 68%. Comparable graduation rate data is not available for Curtis Institute of Music.
• Graduates from Sacred Heart University have median earnings of about $59,700 about ten years after starting college (College Scorecard). Comparable earnings data is not available for Curtis Institute of Music.

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.