ECSU vs. SHU

Should I go to Eastern Connecticut State University or Sacred Heart University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ECSU or SHU 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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Eastern Connecticut State University vs. Sacred Heart University comparison
Eastern Connecticut State University Sacred Heart University College 3 College 4
Eastern Connecticut State University Sacred Heart University
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Overview

ECSU SHU
Location Willimantic, CT Fairfield, CT
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,082 10,721
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #432
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website easternct.edu sacredheart.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ECSU SHU
Tuition (In State) $6,470 $46,310
Tuition (Out of State) $9,706 $46,310
Room & Board $16,106 $17,520
Avg Net Price $18,628 $45,280
Avg Grant Aid $10,993 $19,484
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

ECSU SHU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,488 13,316
Admitted 4,052 8,750
Acceptance Rate 73.8% 65.7%
Enrolled % 17.7% 20.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 16/28
SAT Range 980/1190
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

ECSU SHU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (36%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

ECSU SHU
Graduation Rate 49% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $59,700
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $237 $258

Diversity

ECSU SHU
% Men 40% 35%
% Women 60% 65%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 71%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 9% 12%

Students

ECSU SHU
% In-State 87% 23%
% Out-of-State 13% 75%

Campus

ECSU SHU
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

  • Sacred Heart University is larger than than ECSU based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 4,082 students)

ECSU vs. SHU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECSU or SHU?

  • Sacred Heart University is 615.8% more expensive to attend than ECSU for in-state tuition ($46,310.00 vs. $6,470.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 377.1% higher at SHU than Eastern Connecticut State University ($46,310.00 vs. $9,706.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Connecticut State University than SHU ($18,628 vs. $45,280)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Connecticut State University are 8.8% lower than costs at Sacred Heart University ($16,106 vs. $17,520)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Connecticut State University than Sacred Heart University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sacred Heart University students is 77.2% larger than aid received Eastern Connecticut State University ($19,484 vs. $10,993)

ECSU vs. SHU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SHU students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at ECSU (3.4)
  • ECSU has a higher acceptance rate (73.8%) than SHU (65.7%)

ECSU vs. SHU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECSU or SHU? 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 SHU and ECSU.

  • The graduation rate at SHU is higher than Eastern Connecticut State University (68% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn on average $13,300 more per year than ECSU graduates after ten years. ($59,700 vs. $46,400)
  • Eastern Connecticut State University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than SHU graduates. ($23,000 vs. $25,000)
  • ECSU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than SHU graduates. ($237 vs. $258)
  • More SHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECSU students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 68%)

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