SHU vs. Plymouth

Comparable Facts

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

Sacred Heart University is larger than Plymouth based on total student enrollment (11,022 students vs. 3,707 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, CT (Large Suburban setting); Plymouth State University is in Plymouth, NH (Remote Town setting).
• Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Plymouth State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sacred Heart University 15:1; Plymouth State University 15:1.

SHU vs. Plymouth Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or Plymouth? 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 Plymouth State University than SHU ($20,183 vs. $47,848).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Plymouth State University are 31.3% lower than at Sacred Heart University ($13,158 vs. $19,140).
• Sacred Heart University is 244.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Plymouth (about $35,778 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $14,626.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 97.2% higher at SHU than at Plymouth State University (about $24,838 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $25,566.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Plymouth State University than at Sacred Heart University (100% vs. 99%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sacred Heart University students is 95.9% larger than aid received by Plymouth State University students ($21,625 vs. $11,039).

SHU vs. Plymouth Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SHU - Test-free; Plymouth - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Plymouth Apr 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman SHU students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Plymouth (3.08).
• Plymouth has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than SHU (65.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at SHU vs. 13.7% at Plymouth.

SHU vs. Plymouth Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SHU and Plymouth? 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 Plymouth State University's (59%).
• Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn a median of about $17,500 more per year than Plymouth graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,700 vs. $42,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Sacred Heart University graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than Plymouth graduates ($25,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, SHU graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Plymouth graduates ($258 vs. $279).
• More SHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Plymouth students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 73%)

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.