UNC Charlotte vs. SU

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

 UNC Charlotte SU
Location Charlotte, NC Winchester, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 29,551 4,260
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #562 #537
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uncc.edu su.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNC Charlotte SU
Tuition (In State) $3,812 $33,790
Tuition (Out of State) $17,936 $33,790
Room & Board $12,896 $11,230
Avg Net Price $13,951 $26,143
Avg Grant Aid $7,907 $23,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 100%

Admission

 UNC Charlotte SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,355 2,296
Admitted 17,007 1,845
Acceptance Rate 79.6% 80.4%
Enrolled % 24.4% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 19/26
SAT Range 1070/1290 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 Jun 1, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 UNC Charlotte SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 UNC Charlotte SU
Graduation Rate 53% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,600 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $237 $258

Diversity

 UNC Charlotte SU
% Men 49% 32%
% Women 51% 68%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 60% 59%
% Black 17% 11%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 3% 13%

Students

 UNC Charlotte SU
% In-State 89% 52%
% Out-of-State 8% 48%

Campus

 UNC Charlotte 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

  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte is larger than than SU based on total student enrollment (29,551 students vs. 4,260 students)

UNC Charlotte vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNC Charlotte or SU?

  • Shenandoah University is 786.4% more expensive to attend than UNC Charlotte for in-state tuition ($33,790.00 vs. $3,812.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 88.4% higher at SU than University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($33,790.00 vs. $17,936.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Charlotte than SU ($13,951 vs. $26,143)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shenandoah University are 14.8% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($11,230 vs. $12,896)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shenandoah University than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (100% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shenandoah University students is 196.8% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($23,467 vs. $7,907)

UNC Charlotte vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Charlotte (1093) is 88 points higher than at SU (1005)
  • Incoming UNC Charlotte students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at SU (22)
  • Accepted freshman SU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at UNC Charlotte (3.57)
  • SU has a higher acceptance rate (80.4%) than UNC Charlotte (79.6%)

UNC Charlotte vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNC Charlotte 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 UNC Charlotte.

  • The graduation rate at UNC Charlotte is higher than Shenandoah University (53% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from University of North Carolina at Charlotte earn on average $300 more per year than SU graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $48,300)
  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than SU graduates. ($23,000 vs. $25,000)
  • UNC Charlotte graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than SU graduates. ($237 vs. $258)
  • More UNC Charlotte graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 60%)

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