SHU vs. Five Towns College

Comparable Facts

Compare Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT with Five Towns College in Dix Hills, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sacred Heart University is larger than Five Towns College based on total student enrollment (11,022 students vs. 974 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, CT (Large Suburban setting); Five Towns College is in Dix Hills, NY (Large Suburban setting).
• Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Five Towns College is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sacred Heart University 15:1; Five Towns College 11:1.

SHU vs. Five Towns College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or Five Towns College? 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 Five Towns College than SHU ($24,724 vs. $47,848).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Five Towns College are 21.6% lower than at Sacred Heart University ($15,000 vs. $19,140).
• Sacred Heart University is 66.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Five Towns College (about $20,154 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $30,250.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 66.6% higher at SHU than at Five Towns College (about $20,154 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $30,250.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Five Towns College than at Sacred Heart University (100% vs. 99%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sacred Heart University students is 18.9% larger than aid received by Five Towns College students ($21,625 vs. $18,184).

SHU vs. Five Towns College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SHU or Five Towns College? 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 Five Towns College and SHU.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SHU - Test-free; Five Towns College - Test-free.
• Accepted freshman SHU students have a 0.72 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Five Towns College (2.83).
• SHU has a higher acceptance rate (65.4%) than Five Towns College (53.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at SHU vs. 42.9% at Five Towns College.

SHU vs. Five Towns College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SHU and Five Towns College? 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 Five Towns College's (31%).
• Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn a median of about $20,600 more per year than Five Towns College graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,700 vs. $39,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Sacred Heart University graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than Five Towns College graduates ($25,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, SHU graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Five Towns College graduates ($258 vs. $279).
• More SHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Five Towns College students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 50%)

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.