Shaw University vs. Wake Forest

Should I go to Shaw University or Wake Forest University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Shaw University or Wake Forest 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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Shaw University vs. Wake Forest University comparison
Shaw University Wake Forest University College 3 College 4
Shaw University Wake Forest University
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Overview

Shaw University Wake Forest
Location Raleigh, NC Winston Salem, NC
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 1,067 8,963
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website shawu.edu wfu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Shaw University Wake Forest
Tuition (In State) $11,808 $61,012
Tuition (Out of State) $11,808 $61,012
Room & Board $8,514 $16,652
Avg Net Price $14,204 $26,197
Avg Grant Aid $15,548 $54,233
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 29%

Admission

Shaw University Wake Forest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,435 16,857
Admitted 1,486 3,602
Acceptance Rate 61% 21.4%
Enrolled % 13.5% 38%
Avg High School GPA 2.6 -
Typical High School Grades C+ -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range
SAT Range
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 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Shaw University Wake Forest
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Human Services (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Shaw University Wake Forest
Graduation Rate 27% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $29,000 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 15% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $38,000 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $392 $237

Diversity

Shaw University Wake Forest
% Men 47% 43%
% Women 53% 57%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 1% 72%
% Black 58% 6%
% Hispanic 0% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 2% 7%
% Unknown Race 39% 0%

Students

Shaw University Wake Forest
% In-State 55% 14%
% Out-of-State 34% 77%

Campus

Shaw University Wake Forest
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

  • Wake Forest University is larger than than Shaw University based on total student enrollment (8,963 students vs. 1,067 students)

Shaw University vs. Wake Forest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Shaw University or Wake Forest?

  • Wake Forest University is 416.7% more expensive to attend than Shaw University for in-state tuition ($61,012.00 vs. $11,808.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 416.7% higher at Wake Forest than Shaw University ($61,012.00 vs. $11,808.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shaw University than Wake Forest ($14,204 vs. $26,197)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shaw University are 95.6% lower than costs at Wake Forest University ($8,514 vs. $16,652)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shaw University than Wake Forest University (87% vs. 29%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 248.8% larger than aid received Shaw University ($54,233 vs. $15,548)

Shaw University vs. Wake Forest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Shaw University has a higher acceptance rate (61%) than Wake Forest (21.4%)

Shaw University vs. Wake Forest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Shaw University or Wake Forest? 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 Wake Forest and Shaw University.

  • The graduation rate at Wake Forest is higher than Shaw University (88% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from Wake Forest University earn on average $48,200 more per year than Shaw University graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $29,000)
  • Wake Forest University students graduate with a $15,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Shaw University graduates. ($23,000 vs. $38,000)
  • Wake Forest graduates are paying $155 less per month on federal student loans than Shaw University graduates. ($237 vs. $392)
  • More Wake Forest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shaw University students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 15%)

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