SHU vs. RIC

Should I go to Sacred Heart University or Rhode Island College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SHU or RIC 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. Rhode Island College comparison
Sacred Heart University Rhode Island College College 3 College 4
Sacred Heart University Rhode Island College
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Overview

SHU RIC
Location Fairfield, CT Providence, RI
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 10,721 5,787
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #720
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sacredheart.edu ric.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SHU RIC
Tuition (In State) $46,310 $9,481
Tuition (Out of State) $46,310 $25,014
Room & Board $17,520 $13,414
Avg Net Price $45,280 $11,014
Avg Grant Aid $19,484 $7,537
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 62%

Admission

SHU RIC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,316 3,921
Admitted 8,750 3,432
Acceptance Rate 65.7% 87.5%
Enrolled % 20.3% 19.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.55 3.08
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range 870/1110
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 15, 2025

Academics

SHU RIC
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

SHU RIC
Graduation Rate 68% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,700 $42,000
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $21,200
Median Loan Payment $258 $219

Diversity

SHU RIC
% Men 35% 29%
% Women 65% 71%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 62%
% Black 4% 8%
% Hispanic 8% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 12% 8%

Students

SHU RIC
% In-State 23% 80%
% Out-of-State 75% 20%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Sacred Heart University is larger than than RIC based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 5,787 students)

SHU vs. RIC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or RIC?

  • Sacred Heart University is 388.5% more expensive to attend than RIC for in-state tuition ($46,310.00 vs. $9,481.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 85.1% higher at SHU than Rhode Island College ($46,310.00 vs. $25,014.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rhode Island College than SHU ($11,014 vs. $45,280)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island College are 30.6% lower than costs at Sacred Heart University ($13,414 vs. $17,520)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Sacred Heart University than Rhode Island College (99% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sacred Heart University students is 158.5% larger than aid received Rhode Island College ($19,484 vs. $7,537)

SHU vs. RIC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SHU students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at RIC (3.08)
  • RIC has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than SHU (65.7%)

SHU vs. RIC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at SHU is higher than Rhode Island College (68% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn on average $17,700 more per year than RIC graduates after ten years. ($59,700 vs. $42,000)
  • Rhode Island College students graduate with a $3,800 lower median federal student loan debt than SHU graduates. ($21,200 vs. $25,000)
  • RIC graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than SHU graduates. ($219 vs. $258)
  • More SHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RIC students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 59%)

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