SHU vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley

Comparable Facts

Compare Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT with Penn State Lehigh Valley in Center Valley, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sacred Heart University is larger than Penn State Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (11,022 students vs. 867 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, CT (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Lehigh Valley is in Center Valley, PA (Large Suburban setting).
• Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Lehigh Valley is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sacred Heart University 15:1; Penn State Lehigh Valley 14:1.

SHU vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or Penn State Lehigh Valley? 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 Penn State Lehigh Valley than SHU ($19,066 vs. $47,848).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Lehigh Valley are 20.2% lower than at Sacred Heart University ($15,274 vs. $19,140).
• Sacred Heart University is 231.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Lehigh Valley (about $35,196 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $15,208.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 98.5% higher at SHU than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (about $25,012 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $25,392.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sacred Heart University than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (99% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sacred Heart University students is 138.6% larger than aid received by Penn State Lehigh Valley students ($21,625 vs. $9,065).

SHU vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SHU or Penn State Lehigh Valley? 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 Penn State Lehigh Valley and SHU.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsPenn State Lehigh Valley 1130/1320.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SHU - Test-free; Penn State Lehigh Valley - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman SHU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (3.42).
• Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than SHU (65.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at SHU vs. 14% at Penn State Lehigh Valley.

SHU vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SHU and Penn State Lehigh Valley? 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 Penn State Lehigh Valley's (47%).
• Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn a median of about $4,400 more per year than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,700 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Sacred Heart University graduates have a $1,818 lower median loan debt than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates ($25,000 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers, SHU graduates have an estimated $19 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates ($258 vs. $277).
• More SHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Lehigh Valley students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 69%)

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.