A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at SHU are mostly White with a small Hispanic population. The school has low racial diversity. 29% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
71%
|
| Black |
4%
|
| Hispanic |
8%
|
| Asian |
2%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
0%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
0%
|
| Two or more races |
2%
|
| International |
1%
|
| Race Unknown |
12%
|
There are 88% more female students than male students enrolled at Sacred Heart University with a gender ratio of 65% women to 35% men. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, SHU has a lower gender diversity than other US colleges and is less inclusive of males.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
35%
|
| Women |
65%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
3,720
|
| Women |
7,001
|
SHU serves a high number of out-of-state students with 76% of the student body residing outside of Connecticut or from other countries.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
23%
|
| Out of State |
75%
|
| Foreign |
1%
|
| Unknown Location |
0%
|
16% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.
| Segment | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Students Over 25 Years Old | 12.3% |
| Part time Undergrads | 13.2% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=130253 IPEDS survey data for Sacred Heart University.