UVa-Wise vs. Shepherd University

Should I go to The University of Virginia's College at Wise or Shepherd University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UVa-Wise 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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The University of Virginia's College at Wise vs. Shepherd University comparison
The University of Virginia's College at Wise Shepherd University College 3 College 4
The University of Virginia's College at Wise Shepherd University
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Overview

UVa-Wise Shepherd University
Location Wise, VA Shepherdstown, WV
Setting Distant Town Town Fringe
Enrollment 1,704 3,235
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #750 #866
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uvawise.edu shepherd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UVa-Wise Shepherd University
Tuition (In State) $6,040 $6,288
Tuition (Out of State) $25,419 $15,774
Room & Board $11,919 $10,987
Avg Net Price $9,923 $9,827
Avg Grant Aid $14,299 $7,328
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 93%

Admission

UVa-Wise Shepherd University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 835 1,690
Admitted 631 1,620
Acceptance Rate 75.6% 95.9%
Enrolled % 39.8% 34.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 19/24
SAT Range 915/1160 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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

UVa-Wise Shepherd University
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)

Outcomes

UVa-Wise Shepherd University
Graduation Rate 39% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,100 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,827 $22,223
Median Loan Payment $215 $229

Diversity

UVa-Wise Shepherd University
% Men 40% 37%
% Women 60% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 82%
% Black 12% 10%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

UVa-Wise Shepherd University
% In-State 76% 64%
% Out-of-State 21% 35%

Campus

UVa-Wise Shepherd University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Shepherd University is larger than than UVa-Wise based on total student enrollment (3,235 students vs. 1,704 students)

UVa-Wise vs. Shepherd University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UVa-Wise or Shepherd University?

  • Shepherd University is 4.1% more expensive to attend than UVa-Wise for in-state tuition ($6,288.00 vs. $6,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 61.1% higher at UVa-Wise than Shepherd University ($25,419.00 vs. $15,774.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shepherd University than UVa-Wise ($9,827 vs. $9,923)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shepherd University are 8.5% lower than costs at The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($10,987 vs. $11,919)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than Shepherd University (98% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Virginia's College at Wise students is 95.1% larger than aid received Shepherd University ($14,299 vs. $7,328)

UVa-Wise vs. Shepherd University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Shepherd University (995) is 53 points higher than at UVa-Wise (942)
  • Incoming Shepherd University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at UVa-Wise (20)
  • Accepted freshman Shepherd University students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at UVa-Wise (3.57)
  • Shepherd University has a higher acceptance rate (95.9%) than UVa-Wise (75.6%)

UVa-Wise vs. Shepherd University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UVa-Wise 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 UVa-Wise.

  • The graduation rate at Shepherd University is higher than The University of Virginia's College at Wise (46% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from The University of Virginia's College at Wise earn on average $600 more per year than Shepherd University graduates after ten years. ($42,100 vs. $41,500)
  • The University of Virginia's College at Wise students graduate with a $1,396 lower median federal student loan debt than Shepherd University graduates. ($20,827 vs. $22,223)
  • UVa-Wise graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than Shepherd University graduates. ($215 vs. $229)
  • More UVa-Wise graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shepherd University students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 53%)

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