SHU vs. PAFA

Should I go to Sacred Heart University or Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SHU or PAFA 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.

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Sacred Heart University vs. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts comparison
Sacred Heart University Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts College 3 College 4
Sacred Heart University Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
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Overview

SHU PAFA
Location Fairfield, CT Philadelphia, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 11,179 141
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sacredheart.edu pafa.org
Team Colors                    

Costs

SHU PAFA
Tuition (In State) $48,160 $43,000
Tuition (Out of State) $48,160 $43,000
Room & Board $18,450 $18,662
Avg Net Price $46,165 $45,518
Avg Grant Aid $20,597 $18,987
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

SHU PAFA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,284 192
Admitted 9,667 168
Acceptance Rate 67.7% 87.5%
Enrolled % 19.7% 10.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.55 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025

Academics

SHU PAFA
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)

Outcomes

SHU PAFA
Graduation Rate 68% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,700 $22,000
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $274

Diversity

SHU PAFA
% Men 15% 10%
% Women 23% 20%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 61%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 8% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 6%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 12% 7%

Students

SHU PAFA
% In-State 22% 72%
% Out-of-State 77% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Sacred Heart University is larger than than PAFA based on total student enrollment (11,179 students vs. 141 students)

SHU vs. PAFA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or PAFA?

  • Sacred Heart University is 12% more expensive to attend than PAFA for in-state tuition ($48,160.00 vs. $43,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12% higher at SHU than Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($48,160.00 vs. $43,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts than SHU ($45,518 vs. $46,165)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sacred Heart University are 1.1% lower than costs at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($18,450 vs. $18,662)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts than Sacred Heart University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sacred Heart University students is 8.5% larger than aid received Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($20,597 vs. $18,987)

SHU vs. PAFA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • PAFA has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than SHU (67.7%)

SHU vs. PAFA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SHU or PAFA? 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 PAFA and SHU.

  • The graduation rate at PAFA is higher than Sacred Heart University (73% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn on average $37,700 more per year than PAFA graduates after ten years. ($59,700 vs. $22,000)
  • Sacred Heart University students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than PAFA graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,500)
  • SHU graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than PAFA graduates. ($258 vs. $274)
  • More SHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PAFA students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 63%)

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