Mary Washington College vs. SU

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

Mary Washington College SU
Location Fredericksburg, VA Winchester, VA
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 3,757 4,260
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #283 #537
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umw.edu su.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mary Washington College SU
Tuition (In State) $8,938 $33,790
Tuition (Out of State) $25,858 $33,790
Room & Board $12,090 $11,230
Avg Net Price $21,863 $26,143
Avg Grant Aid $9,046 $23,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 100%

Admission

Mary Washington College SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,709 2,296
Admitted 4,040 1,845
Acceptance Rate 85.8% 80.4%
Enrolled % 18.5% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.71 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/30 19/26
SAT Range 1170/1340 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

Mary Washington College SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Business (12%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

Mary Washington College SU
Graduation Rate 71% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,500 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $258

Diversity

Mary Washington College SU
% Men 37% 32%
% Women 63% 68%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 70% 59%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 6% 13%

Students

Mary Washington College SU
% In-State 87% 52%
% Out-of-State 10% 48%

Campus

Mary Washington College 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 Mary Washington College based on total student enrollment (4,260 students vs. 3,757 students)

Mary Washington College vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mary Washington College or SU?

  • Shenandoah University is 278% more expensive to attend than Mary Washington College for in-state tuition ($33,790.00 vs. $8,938.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.7% higher at SU than University of Mary Washington ($33,790.00 vs. $25,858.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Mary Washington than SU ($21,863 vs. $26,143)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shenandoah University are 7.7% lower than costs at University of Mary Washington ($11,230 vs. $12,090)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shenandoah University than University of Mary Washington (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shenandoah University students is 159.4% larger than aid received University of Mary Washington ($23,467 vs. $9,046)

Mary Washington College vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Mary Washington (1110) is 105 points higher than at SU (1005)
  • Incoming Mary Washington College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at SU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Mary Washington College students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at SU (3.7)
  • Mary Washington College has a higher acceptance rate (85.8%) than SU (80.4%)

Mary Washington College vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Mary Washington College 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 Mary Washington College.

  • The graduation rate at Mary Washington College is higher than Shenandoah University (71% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from University of Mary Washington earn on average $7,200 more per year than SU graduates after ten years. ($55,500 vs. $48,300)
  • University of Mary Washington students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $25,000)
  • Mary Washington College graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than SU graduates. ($222 vs. $258)
  • More Mary Washington College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SU students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 60%)

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