SHU vs. WPI

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

SHU WPI
Location Fairfield, CT Worcester, MA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 10,721 7,308
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sacredheart.edu wpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SHU WPI
Tuition (In State) $46,310 $56,000
Tuition (Out of State) $46,310 $56,000
Room & Board $17,520 $16,544
Avg Net Price $45,280 $46,876
Avg Grant Aid $19,484 $27,059
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 96%

Admission

SHU WPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,316 11,599
Admitted 8,750 6,667
Acceptance Rate 65.7% 57.5%
Enrolled % 20.3% 20.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.55 3.9
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2025

Academics

SHU WPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Engineering (61%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • General Studies (5%)
  • Business (4%)

Outcomes

SHU WPI
Graduation Rate 68% 76%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,700 $82,700
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

SHU WPI
% Men 35% 64%
% Women 65% 36%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 63%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 8% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 12%
% Unknown Race 12% 6%

Students

SHU WPI
% In-State 23% 45%
% Out-of-State 75% 47%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Sacred Heart University is larger than than WPI based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 7,308 students)

SHU vs. WPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or WPI?

  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute is 20.9% more expensive to attend than SHU for in-state tuition ($56,000.00 vs. $46,310.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.9% higher at WPI than Sacred Heart University ($56,000.00 vs. $46,310.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sacred Heart University than WPI ($45,280 vs. $46,876)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are 5.9% lower than costs at Sacred Heart University ($16,544 vs. $17,520)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Sacred Heart University than Worcester Polytechnic Institute (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Worcester Polytechnic Institute students is 38.9% larger than aid received Sacred Heart University ($27,059 vs. $19,484)

SHU vs. WPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman WPI students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at SHU (3.55)
  • SHU has a higher acceptance rate (65.7%) than WPI (57.5%)

SHU vs. WPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WPI is higher than Sacred Heart University (76% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Worcester Polytechnic Institute earn on average $23,000 more per year than SHU graduates after ten years. ($82,700 vs. $59,700)
  • Sacred Heart University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than WPI graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • SHU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than WPI graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More WPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SHU students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 76%)

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