SHU vs. McDaniel College

Comparable Facts

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

Sacred Heart University is larger than McDaniel College based on total student enrollment (11,022 students vs. 2,868 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, CT (Large Suburban setting); McDaniel College is in Westminster, MD (Small Suburban setting).
• Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. McDaniel College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sacred Heart University 15:1; McDaniel College 13:1.

SHU vs. McDaniel College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or McDaniel 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 McDaniel College than SHU ($24,497 vs. $47,848).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McDaniel College are 32.2% lower than at Sacred Heart University ($12,974 vs. $19,140).
• McDaniel College is 3.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than SHU (about $1,677 more per year; $52,081.00 vs. $50,404.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 3.3% higher at McDaniel College than at Sacred Heart University (about $1,677 more per year; $52,081.00 vs. $50,404.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at McDaniel College than at Sacred Heart University (100% vs. 99%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by McDaniel College students is 88.3% larger than aid received by Sacred Heart University students ($40,721 vs. $21,625).

SHU vs. McDaniel College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SHU or McDaniel 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 McDaniel College and SHU.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SHU - Test-free; McDaniel College - Test-free.
• Accepted freshman McDaniel College students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at SHU (3.55).
• McDaniel College has a higher acceptance rate (77.9%) than SHU (65.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at SHU vs. 13.7% at McDaniel College.

SHU vs. McDaniel College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SHU and McDaniel 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).

• McDaniel College's six-year graduation rate (74%) is higher than Sacred Heart University's (68%).
• Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn a median of about $6,300 more per year than McDaniel College graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,700 vs. $53,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Sacred Heart University graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than McDaniel College graduates ($25,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, SHU graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than McDaniel College graduates ($258 vs. $279).
• More McDaniel College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SHU students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 76%)

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.