SHU vs. CW

Comparable Facts

Compare Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT with The College of Westchester in White Plains, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sacred Heart University is larger than CW based on total student enrollment (11,022 students vs. 759 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, CT (Large Suburban setting); The College of Westchester is in White Plains, NY (Small City setting).
• Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. The College of Westchester is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sacred Heart University 15:1; The College of Westchester 19:1.

SHU vs. CW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or CW? 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 The College of Westchester than SHU ($15,871 vs. $47,848).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The College of Westchester are 50.3% lower than at Sacred Heart University ($9,520 vs. $19,140).
• Sacred Heart University is 100.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than CW (about $25,213 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $25,191.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 100.1% higher at SHU than at The College of Westchester (about $25,213 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $25,191.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at The College of Westchester than at Sacred Heart University (100% vs. 99%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sacred Heart University students is 36.5% larger than aid received by The College of Westchester students ($21,625 vs. $15,841).

SHU vs. CW Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SHU - Test-free; CW - Test-free.
• CW has a higher acceptance rate (94.4%) than SHU (65.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at SHU vs. 21.3% at CW.

SHU vs. CW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SHU and CW? 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 $19,900 more per year than CW graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,700 vs. $39,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, The College of Westchester graduates have a $1,106 lower median loan debt than SHU graduates ($23,894 vs. $25,000).
• Among borrowers, CW graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SHU graduates ($247 vs. $258).
• More SHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CW students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 31%)

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.