Shorter vs. FDU

Should I go to Shorter University or Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Shorter or FDU 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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Shorter University vs. Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham comparison
Shorter University Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham College 3 College 4
Shorter University Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham
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Overview

Shorter FDU
Location Rome, GA Madison, NJ
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,515 2,823
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #872 #342
Religious Affiliation Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website shorter.edu fdu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Shorter FDU
Tuition (In State) $22,380 $33,264
Tuition (Out of State) $22,380 $33,264
Room & Board $9,400 $15,588
Avg Net Price $13,490 $21,408
Avg Grant Aid $20,057 $28,436
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Shorter FDU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 871 4,421
Admitted 849 3,940
Acceptance Rate 97.5% 89.1%
Enrolled % 31.4% 11.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.42
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/25 19/30
SAT Range 960/1290 1040/1310
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 Aug 25, 2025

Academics

Shorter FDU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Shorter FDU
Graduation Rate 47% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,300 $52,900
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,418 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $293 $268

Diversity

Shorter FDU
% Men 44% 41%
% Women 56% 59%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 58%
% Black 24% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

Shorter FDU
% In-State 84% 81%
% Out-of-State 15% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham is larger than than Shorter based on total student enrollment (2,823 students vs. 1,515 students)

Shorter vs. FDU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Shorter or FDU?

  • Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham is 48.6% more expensive to attend than Shorter for in-state tuition ($33,264.00 vs. $22,380.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 48.6% higher at FDU than Shorter University ($33,264.00 vs. $22,380.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shorter University than FDU ($13,490 vs. $21,408)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shorter University are 65.8% lower than costs at Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham ($9,400 vs. $15,588)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Shorter University as Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham students is 41.8% larger than aid received Shorter University ($28,436 vs. $20,057)

Shorter vs. FDU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham (1034) is 65 points higher than at Shorter (969)
  • Incoming FDU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Shorter (21)
  • Accepted freshman FDU students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Shorter (3.25)
  • Shorter has a higher acceptance rate (97.5%) than FDU (89.1%)

Shorter vs. FDU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Shorter or FDU? 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 FDU and Shorter.

  • The graduation rate at FDU is higher than Shorter University (55% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham earn on average $3,600 more per year than Shorter graduates after ten years. ($52,900 vs. $49,300)
  • Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham students graduate with a $2,418 lower median federal student loan debt than Shorter graduates. ($26,000 vs. $28,418)
  • FDU graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than Shorter graduates. ($268 vs. $293)
  • More FDU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shorter students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 38%)

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