Ferrum College vs. Shepherd University

Should I go to Ferrum College or Shepherd University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Ferrum College 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Ferrum College vs. Shepherd University comparison
Ferrum College Shepherd University College 3 College 4
Ferrum College Shepherd University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Ferrum College Shepherd University
Location Ferrum, VA Shepherdstown, WV
Setting Distant Rural Town Fringe
Enrollment 855 3,235
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #866
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ferrum.edu shepherd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Ferrum College Shepherd University
Tuition (In State) $37,400 $6,288
Tuition (Out of State) $37,400 $15,774
Room & Board $13,230 $10,987
Avg Net Price $25,558 $9,827
Avg Grant Aid $26,580 $7,328
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 93%

Admission

Ferrum College Shepherd University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,452 1,690
Admitted 1,224 1,620
Acceptance Rate 84.3% 95.9%
Enrolled % 19.4% 34.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.14 3.6
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/24
SAT Range 900/1110 930/1170
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 Sep 15, 2023

Academics

Ferrum College Shepherd University
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Ferrum College Shepherd University
Graduation Rate 31% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,000 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,000 $22,223
Median Loan Payment $289 $229

Diversity

Ferrum College Shepherd University
% Men 58% 37%
% Women 42% 63%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 82%
% Black 34% 10%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 2%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Ferrum College Shepherd University
% In-State 64% 64%
% Out-of-State 34% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Shepherd University is larger than than Ferrum College based on total student enrollment (3,235 students vs. 855 students)

Ferrum College vs. Shepherd University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Ferrum College or Shepherd University?

  • Ferrum College is 494.8% more expensive to attend than Shepherd University for in-state tuition ($37,400.00 vs. $6,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 137.1% higher at Ferrum College than Shepherd University ($37,400.00 vs. $15,774.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shepherd University than Ferrum College ($9,827 vs. $25,558)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shepherd University are 20.4% lower than costs at Ferrum College ($10,987 vs. $13,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ferrum College than Shepherd University (94% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ferrum College students is 262.7% larger than aid received Shepherd University ($26,580 vs. $7,328)

Ferrum College vs. Shepherd University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Shepherd University (995) is 114 points higher than at Ferrum College (881)
  • Incoming Shepherd University students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Ferrum College (18)
  • Accepted freshman Shepherd University students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Ferrum College (3.14)
  • Shepherd University has a higher acceptance rate (95.9%) than Ferrum College (84.3%)

Ferrum College vs. Shepherd University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Ferrum College 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 Ferrum College.

  • The graduation rate at Shepherd University is higher than Ferrum College (46% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Shepherd University earn on average $2,500 more per year than Ferrum College graduates after ten years. ($41,500 vs. $39,000)
  • Shepherd University students graduate with a $5,777 lower median federal student loan debt than Ferrum College graduates. ($22,223 vs. $28,000)
  • Shepherd University graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than Ferrum College graduates. ($229 vs. $289)
  • More Shepherd University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ferrum College students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 49%)

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