St. Bona vs. Shepherd University

Should I go to Saint Bonaventure University or Shepherd University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if St. Bona or Shepherd University 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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Saint Bonaventure University vs. Shepherd University comparison
Saint Bonaventure University Shepherd University College 3 College 4
Saint Bonaventure University Shepherd University
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Overview

St. Bona Shepherd University
Location Saint Bonaventure, NY Shepherdstown, WV
Setting Remote Town Town Fringe
Enrollment 2,602 3,235
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #422 #866
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sbu.edu shepherd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

St. Bona Shepherd University
Tuition (In State) $37,620 $6,288
Tuition (Out of State) $37,620 $15,774
Room & Board $14,450 $10,987
Avg Net Price $26,004 $9,827
Avg Grant Aid $27,605 $7,328
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 93%

Admission

St. Bona Shepherd University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,774 1,690
Admitted 3,061 1,620
Acceptance Rate 81.1% 95.9%
Enrolled % 18.7% 34.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/32 19/24
SAT Range 1050/1220 930/1170
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 30, 2025

Academics

St. Bona Shepherd University
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)

Outcomes

St. Bona Shepherd University
Graduation Rate 63% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,800 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,223
Median Loan Payment $279 $229

Diversity

St. Bona Shepherd University
% Men 50% 37%
% Women 50% 63%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 82%
% Black 6% 10%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 9% 1%

Students

St. Bona Shepherd University
% In-State 75% 64%
% Out-of-State 21% 35%

Campus

St. Bona Shepherd University
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

  • Shepherd University is larger than than St. Bona based on total student enrollment (3,235 students vs. 2,602 students)

St. Bona vs. Shepherd University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Bona or Shepherd University?

  • Saint Bonaventure University is 498.3% more expensive to attend than Shepherd University for in-state tuition ($37,620.00 vs. $6,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 138.5% higher at St. Bona than Shepherd University ($37,620.00 vs. $15,774.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shepherd University than St. Bona ($9,827 vs. $26,004)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shepherd University are 31.5% lower than costs at Saint Bonaventure University ($10,987 vs. $14,450)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Bonaventure University than Shepherd University (99% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Bonaventure University students is 276.7% larger than aid received Shepherd University ($27,605 vs. $7,328)

St. Bona vs. Shepherd University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Saint Bonaventure University (1066) is 71 points higher than at Shepherd University (995)
  • Incoming St. Bona students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Shepherd University (22)
  • Accepted freshman Shepherd University students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at St. Bona (3.48)
  • Shepherd University has a higher acceptance rate (95.9%) than St. Bona (81.1%)

St. Bona vs. Shepherd University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, St. Bona or Shepherd University? 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 Shepherd University and St. Bona.

  • The graduation rate at St. Bona is higher than Shepherd University (63% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Saint Bonaventure University earn on average $7,300 more per year than Shepherd University graduates after ten years. ($48,800 vs. $41,500)
  • Shepherd University students graduate with a $4,777 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Bona graduates. ($22,223 vs. $27,000)
  • Shepherd University graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than St. Bona graduates. ($229 vs. $279)
  • More St. Bona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shepherd University students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 53%)

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