Sacred Heart University vs ECSU-Willimantic

Sacred Heart University and Eastern Connecticut State University, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to prospective students. Sacred Heart, a private Catholic university, boasts a higher acceptance rate (85%) compared to Eastern Connecticut State University's 75%. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, with Sacred Heart excelling in business, health professions, and psychology, while Eastern Connecticut State University shines in education, liberal arts, and social sciences. Sacred Heart's student body is more diverse, with a higher percentage of international students and a more balanced gender ratio. In terms of graduation rates, Sacred Heart's four-year graduation rate stands at 68%, while Eastern Connecticut State University's is slightly lower at 58%. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve deeper into the distinctions between these two esteemed universities and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Eastern Connecticut State University	Sacred Heart University
Overview
Location	Willimantic, Connecticut	Fairfield, Connecticut
Campus setting	Town: Fringe	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	77.0%	86.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation		Catholic

Admission
Acceptance rate	73.2%	66.1%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $50	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $75
SAT range	N/A	N/A
ACT range	N/A	N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants	4,630	12,663
Total number of admissions given out	3,389	8,373
Admitted students who chose to enroll	784	1,842
Yield rate	23.1%	22.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $25,620 Out of state: $39,024	$60,042
Average net price	$19,054	$43,907
Tuition	In state: $6,162 Out of state: $18,436	$44,960
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $8,270 Meal plan: $6,164	Room/dormitory: $11,500 Meal plan: $5,454
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	95.0% Average amount $8,680	99.0% Average amount $19,690
Students receiving federal student loan	61.0% Average amount $5,285	63.0% Average amount $5,366
Students taking out private loans	9.0% Average amount $12,507	16.0% Average amount $28,281

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	4,145 Men 41.8% Women 58.2%	6,761 Men 32.6% Women 67.4%
Graduate students	174 Men 30.5% Women 69.5%	3,024 Men 25.8% Women 74.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	13.0%	78.1%
International students	0.6%	3.4%
Campus local/setting	Town: Fringe	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	2,435	3,434
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Connecticut Mississippi North Carolina New York Rhode Island	New York Connecticut New Jersey Mississippi Rhode Island

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Psychology Education Liberal Arts Health Professions	Health Professions Education Business Public Administration and Social Service Communication and Journalism
Students to faculty ratio	14:1	14:1
Institutional accreditation	New England Commission on Higher Education	New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	57.0%	73.5%
Dropout rate	41.6%	26.0%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $55,410 Year 2: $53,984 Year 3: $70,171 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,288 Year 2: $58,479 Year 3: $63,206 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $48,596 Year 2: $48,823 Year 3: $56,642 Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $43,082 Year 2: $44,305 Year 3: $55,290 Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $35,802 Year 2: $39,369 Year 3: $52,374 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,427 Year 2: $32,711 Year 3: $48,234 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,681 Year 2: $39,099 Year 3: $47,307 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $45,052 Year 2: $43,128 Year 3: $47,145 Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,483 Year 2: $31,423 Year 3: $46,610 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,969 Year 2: $33,281 Year 3: $44,335	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $94,278 Year 2: $92,829 Year 3: $100,493 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $73,676 Year 2: $73,949 Year 3: $93,313 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $68,919 Year 2: $66,653 Year 3: $82,778 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $78,350 Year 2: $74,929 Year 3: $78,642 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $71,605 Year 2: $74,652 Year 3: $77,798 Educational Administration and Supervision (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: $79,954 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $77,726 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $69,263 Year 2: $71,202 Year 3: $73,047 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $67,979 Year 2: $66,989 Year 3: $67,313 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $54,445 Year 2: $58,221 Year 3: $66,212 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $53,788 Year 2: $56,641 Year 3: $65,392

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