SHU vs. Colby-Sawyer

Comparable Facts

Compare Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT with Colby Sawyer College in New London, NH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sacred Heart University is larger than Colby-Sawyer based on total student enrollment (11,022 students vs. 972 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, CT (Large Suburban setting); Colby Sawyer College is in New London, NH (Distant Rural setting).
• Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Colby Sawyer College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sacred Heart University 15:1; Colby Sawyer College 10:1.

SHU vs. Colby-Sawyer Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or Colby-Sawyer? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colby Sawyer College than SHU ($27,496 vs. $47,848).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colby Sawyer College are 9.3% lower than at Sacred Heart University ($17,364 vs. $19,140).
• Sacred Heart University is 163.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Colby-Sawyer (about $31,279 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $19,125.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 163.6% higher at SHU than at Colby Sawyer College (about $31,279 more per year; $50,404.00 vs. $19,125.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Colby Sawyer College than at Sacred Heart University (100% vs. 99%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sacred Heart University students is 94.9% larger than aid received by Colby Sawyer College students ($21,625 vs. $11,098).

SHU vs. Colby-Sawyer Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SHU or Colby-Sawyer? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Colby-Sawyer and SHU.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SHU - Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind); Colby-Sawyer - Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind).
• Colby-Sawyer has a higher acceptance rate (80.1%) than SHU (65.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at SHU vs. 13% at Colby-Sawyer.

SHU vs. Colby-Sawyer Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SHU and Colby-Sawyer? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Sacred Heart University's six-year graduation rate (68%) is higher than Colby Sawyer College's (54%).
• Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn a median of about $14,800 more per year than Colby-Sawyer graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,700 vs. $44,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Sacred Heart University graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than Colby-Sawyer graduates ($25,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, SHU graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Colby-Sawyer graduates ($258 vs. $279).
• More Colby-Sawyer graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SHU students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 76%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.