UNK vs. Shepherd University

Should I go to University of Nebraska at Kearney or Shepherd University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNK 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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University of Nebraska at Kearney vs. Shepherd University comparison
University of Nebraska at Kearney Shepherd University College 3 College 4
University of Nebraska at Kearney Shepherd University
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Overview

UNK Shepherd University
Location Kearney, NE Shepherdstown, WV
Setting Remote Town Town Fringe
Enrollment 6,017 3,318
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #574 #884
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unk.edu shepherd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNK Shepherd University
Tuition (In State) $6,450 $6,288
Tuition (Out of State) $12,418 $15,774
Room & Board $11,936 $11,308
Avg Net Price $16,249 $12,651
Avg Grant Aid $8,779 $8,183
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 95%

Admission

UNK Shepherd University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,253 1,793
Admitted 6,222 1,715
Acceptance Rate 85.8% 95.6%
Enrolled % 14.6% 33%
Avg High School GPA 3.24 3.6
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 20/24
SAT Range 970/1150 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 15, 2025

Academics

UNK Shepherd University
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)

Outcomes

UNK Shepherd University
Graduation Rate 61% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,400 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,250 $22,223
Median Loan Payment $219 $229

Diversity

UNK Shepherd University
% Men 8% 3%
% Women 22% 9%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 82%
% Black 2% 10%
% Hispanic 11% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 5% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

UNK Shepherd University
% In-State 86% 72%
% Out-of-State 9% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Nebraska at Kearney is larger than than Shepherd University based on total student enrollment (6,017 students vs. 3,318 students)

UNK vs. Shepherd University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNK or Shepherd University?

  • University of Nebraska at Kearney is 2.6% more expensive to attend than Shepherd University for in-state tuition ($6,450.00 vs. $6,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27% higher at Shepherd University than University of Nebraska at Kearney ($15,774.00 vs. $12,418.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shepherd University than UNK ($12,651 vs. $16,249)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shepherd University are 5.6% lower than costs at University of Nebraska at Kearney ($11,308 vs. $11,936)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shepherd University than University of Nebraska at Kearney (95% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Nebraska at Kearney students is 7.3% larger than aid received Shepherd University ($8,779 vs. $8,183)

UNK vs. Shepherd University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Nebraska at Kearney (1049) is 54 points higher than at Shepherd University (995)
  • Incoming UNK students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Shepherd University (22)
  • Accepted freshman Shepherd University students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at UNK (3.24)
  • Shepherd University has a higher acceptance rate (95.6%) than UNK (85.8%)

UNK vs. Shepherd University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNK 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 UNK.

  • The graduation rate at UNK is higher than Shepherd University (61% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from University of Nebraska at Kearney earn on average $1,900 more per year than Shepherd University graduates after ten years. ($43,400 vs. $41,500)
  • University of Nebraska at Kearney students graduate with a $973 lower median federal student loan debt than Shepherd University graduates. ($21,250 vs. $22,223)
  • UNK graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Shepherd University graduates. ($219 vs. $229)
  • More UNK graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shepherd University students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 53%)

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