SHU vs. NEC

Comparable Facts

Compare Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT with New England College in Henniker, NH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sacred Heart University is larger than NEC based on total student enrollment (11,022 students vs. 3,275 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, CT (Large Suburban setting); New England College is in Henniker, NH (Distant Rural setting).
• Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. New England College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sacred Heart University 15:1; New England College 8:1.

SHU vs. NEC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or NEC? 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 New England College than SHU ($27,398 vs. $47,848).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at New England College are 8.4% lower than at Sacred Heart University ($17,526 vs. $19,140).
• Sacred Heart University is 20.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than NEC (about $8,466 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $41,938.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 20.2% higher at SHU than at New England College (about $8,466 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $41,938.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Sacred Heart University as at New England College (99% vs. 99%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by New England College students is 48.4% larger than aid received by Sacred Heart University students ($32,095 vs. $21,625).

SHU vs. NEC Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SHU - Test-free; NEC - Test-free.
• Accepted freshman SHU students have a 0.74 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at NEC (2.81).
• NEC has a higher acceptance rate (92.1%) than SHU (65.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at SHU vs. 8.8% at NEC.

SHU vs. NEC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SHU and NEC? 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 New England College's (38%).
• Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn a median of about $20,300 more per year than NEC graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,700 vs. $39,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Sacred Heart University graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than NEC graduates ($25,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, SHU graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NEC graduates ($258 vs. $279).
• More SHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NEC students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 54%)

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.