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 1,911 3,318
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #765 #884
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) $26,182 $15,774
Room & Board $12,535 $11,308
Avg Net Price $10,409 $12,651
Avg Grant Aid $13,702 $8,183
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 95%

Admission

UVa-Wise Shepherd University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,414 1,793
Admitted 1,328 1,715
Acceptance Rate 93.9% 95.6%
Enrolled % 21.8% 33%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 20/24
SAT Range 935/1175 900/1140
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, 2026

Academics

UVa-Wise Shepherd University
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 16:1
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 14% 3%
% Women 22% 9%
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 74% 72%
% Out-of-State 25% 27%

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 (3,318 students vs. 1,911 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 66% higher at UVa-Wise than Shepherd University ($26,182.00 vs. $15,774.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than Shepherd University ($10,409 vs. $12,651)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shepherd University are 10.9% lower than costs at The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($11,308 vs. $12,535)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than Shepherd University (100% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Virginia's College at Wise students is 67.4% larger than aid received Shepherd University ($13,702 vs. $8,183)

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 (95.6%) than UVa-Wise (93.9%)

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/