SHU vs. NSU

Should I go to Sacred Heart University or Norfolk State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SHU or NSU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Sacred Heart University vs. Norfolk State University comparison
Sacred Heart University Norfolk State University College 3 College 4
Sacred Heart University Norfolk State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

SHU NSU
Location Fairfield, CT Norfolk, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 10,721 5,783
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1008
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sacredheart.edu nsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SHU NSU
Tuition (In State) $46,310 $5,752
Tuition (Out of State) $46,310 $16,920
Room & Board $17,520 $10,844
Avg Net Price $45,280 $14,652
Avg Grant Aid $19,484 $12,164
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 91%

Admission

SHU NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,316 8,884
Admitted 8,750 7,951
Acceptance Rate 65.7% 89.5%
Enrolled % 20.3% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.55 2.9
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/20
SAT Range 840/1040
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 31, 2025

Academics

SHU NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

SHU NSU
Graduation Rate 68% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,700 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $320

Diversity

SHU NSU
% Men 35% 33%
% Women 65% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 71% 5%
% Black 4% 84%
% Hispanic 8% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 12% 3%

Students

SHU NSU
% In-State 23% 65%
% Out-of-State 75% 31%

Campus

SHU NSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Sacred Heart University is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 5,783 students)

SHU vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or NSU?

  • Sacred Heart University is 705.1% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($46,310.00 vs. $5,752.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 173.7% higher at SHU than Norfolk State University ($46,310.00 vs. $16,920.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than SHU ($14,652 vs. $45,280)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Norfolk State University are 61.6% lower than costs at Sacred Heart University ($10,844 vs. $17,520)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Sacred Heart University than Norfolk State University (99% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sacred Heart University students is 60.2% larger than aid received Norfolk State University ($19,484 vs. $12,164)

SHU vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SHU or NSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between NSU or SHU .

  • Accepted freshman SHU students have a 0.65 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at NSU (2.9)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than SHU (65.7%)

SHU vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SHU or NSU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between NSU and SHU.

  • The graduation rate at SHU is higher than Norfolk State University (68% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn on average $23,000 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($59,700 vs. $36,700)
  • Sacred Heart University students graduate with a $6,000 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $31,000)
  • SHU graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($258 vs. $320)
  • More SHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 27%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/