SHU vs. Hood

Comparable Facts

Compare Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT with Hood College in Frederick, MD on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sacred Heart University is larger than Hood based on total student enrollment (11,022 students vs. 2,101 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, CT (Large Suburban setting); Hood College is in Frederick, MD (Small City setting).
• Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Hood College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sacred Heart University 15:1; Hood College 10:1.

SHU vs. Hood Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or Hood? 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 Hood College than SHU ($23,350 vs. $47,848).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Hood College are 15.4% lower than at Sacred Heart University ($16,200 vs. $19,140).
• Sacred Heart University is 5.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Hood (about $2,704 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $47,700.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5.7% higher at SHU than at Hood College (about $2,704 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $47,700.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Hood College than at Sacred Heart University (100% vs. 99%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Hood College students is 75.5% larger than aid received by Sacred Heart University students ($37,957 vs. $21,625).

SHU vs. Hood Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SHU - Test-free; Hood - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Hood Aug 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman SHU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Hood (3.41).
• Hood has a higher acceptance rate (77.8%) than SHU (65.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at SHU vs. 12% at Hood.

SHU vs. Hood Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SHU and Hood? 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).

• The graduation rate at SHU is the same as at Hood College (68% vs. 68%).
• Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn a median of about $12,400 more per year than Hood graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,700 vs. $47,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Sacred Heart University graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than Hood graduates ($25,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, SHU graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Hood graduates ($258 vs. $279).
• More SHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Hood students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 73%)

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.