USJ vs. SU

Should I go to University of Saint Joseph or Shenandoah University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USJ or SU 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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University of Saint Joseph vs. Shenandoah University comparison
University of Saint Joseph Shenandoah University College 3 College 4
University of Saint Joseph Shenandoah University
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Overview

 USJ SU
Location West Hartford, CT Winchester, VA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 1,992 4,260
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #290 #537
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usj.edu su.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 USJ SU
Tuition (In State) $42,050 $33,790
Tuition (Out of State) $42,050 $33,790
Room & Board $13,240 $11,230
Avg Net Price $25,860 $26,143
Avg Grant Aid $28,311 $23,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 USJ SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,654 2,296
Admitted 1,238 1,845
Acceptance Rate 74.8% 80.4%
Enrolled % 15.3% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26
SAT Range 1070/1275 1010/1230
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 USJ SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (25%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (12%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • Human Services (11%)
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 USJ SU
Graduation Rate 56% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,200 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

 USJ SU
% Men 23% 32%
% Women 77% 68%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 54% 59%
% Black 16% 11%
% Hispanic 17% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 6% 13%

Students

 USJ SU
% In-State 83% 52%
% Out-of-State 16% 48%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Shenandoah University is larger than than USJ based on total student enrollment (4,260 students vs. 1,992 students)

USJ vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USJ or SU?

  • University of Saint Joseph is 24.4% more expensive to attend than SU for in-state tuition ($42,050.00 vs. $33,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.4% higher at USJ than Shenandoah University ($42,050.00 vs. $33,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Saint Joseph than SU ($25,860 vs. $26,143)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shenandoah University are 17.9% lower than costs at University of Saint Joseph ($11,230 vs. $13,240)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at University of Saint Joseph as Shenandoah University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Saint Joseph students is 20.6% larger than aid received Shenandoah University ($28,311 vs. $23,467)

USJ vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Shenandoah University (1005) is 73 points higher than at USJ (932)
  • Incoming SU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at USJ (19)
  • Accepted freshman SU students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at USJ (3.46)
  • SU has a higher acceptance rate (80.4%) than USJ (74.8%)

USJ vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USJ or SU? 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 SU and USJ.

  • The graduation rate at USJ is higher than Shenandoah University (56% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from University of Saint Joseph earn on average $2,900 more per year than SU graduates after ten years. ($51,200 vs. $48,300)
  • Shenandoah University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than USJ graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • SU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than USJ graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More USJ graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 60%)

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