SHU vs. Plaza College

Comparable Facts

Compare Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT with Plaza College in Forest Hills, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sacred Heart University is larger than Plaza College based on total student enrollment (11,022 students vs. 1,002 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, CT (Large Suburban setting); Plaza College is in Forest Hills, NY (Large City setting).
• Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Plaza College is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sacred Heart University 15:1; Plaza College 28:1.

SHU vs. Plaza College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or Plaza 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 Plaza College than SHU ($19,860 vs. $47,848).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Plaza College are 19% lower than at Sacred Heart University ($15,500 vs. $19,140).
• Sacred Heart University is 226.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Plaza College (about $34,954 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $15,450.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 226.2% higher at SHU than at Plaza College (about $34,954 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $15,450.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sacred Heart University than at Plaza College (99% vs. 93%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sacred Heart University students is 224.5% larger than aid received by Plaza College students ($21,625 vs. $6,665).

SHU vs. Plaza College Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SHU - Test-free; Plaza College - Test-free.
• SHU has a higher acceptance rate (65.4%) than Plaza College (30%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at SHU vs. 54.9% at Plaza College.

SHU vs. Plaza College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SHU and Plaza 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).

• Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn a median of about $32,400 more per year than Plaza College graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,700 vs. $27,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Plaza College graduates have a $11,085 lower median loan debt than SHU graduates ($13,915 vs. $25,000).
• Among borrowers, Plaza College graduates have an estimated $115 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SHU graduates ($143 vs. $258).
• More SHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Plaza College students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 30%)

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.