Sacred Heart University vs Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU)

Sacred Heart University and Southern Connecticut State University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in Connecticut, offer distinct educational experiences. Sacred Heart, a private Catholic university, boasts a lower acceptance rate and a smaller student body, fostering a close-knit community. Southern, a public university, offers a more diverse student body and a higher acceptance rate, providing a vibrant and inclusive campus environment. While both universities excel in various academic programs, Sacred Heart is renowned for its business and health sciences programs, while Southern shines in education and nursing. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these universities' unique strengths, including graduation rates, popular majors, and additional factors that may influence your decision.
Sacred Heart University logo

Sacred Heart University

Southern Connecticut State University logo

Southern Connecticut State University

Overview

Location Fairfield, Connecticut New Haven, Connecticut
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 86.0% 72.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 66.1% 82.9%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $75
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 12,663 7,294
Total number of admissions given out 8,373 6,049
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,842 1,022
Yield rate 22.0% 16.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $60,042
In state: $26,686

Out of state: $40,090
Average net price $43,907 $18,493
Tuition $44,960
In state: $6,162

Out of state: $18,436
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $11,500

Meal plan: $5,454
Room/dormitory: $7,438

Meal plan: $6,228
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

99.0%
Average amount $19,690
94.0%
Average amount $6,478
Students receiving federal student loan 63.0%
Average amount $5,366
68.0%
Average amount $5,267
Students taking out private loans 16.0%
Average amount $28,281
7.0%
Average amount $12,508

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 6,761
Men 32.6% Women 67.4%
6,800
Men 37.5% Women 62.5%
Graduate students 3,024
Men 25.8% Women 74.2%
1,988
Men 24.7% Women 75.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 78.1% 9.4%
International students 3.4% 1.1%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 3,434 2,509
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York Connecticut New Jersey Mississippi Rhode Island Connecticut New York Mississippi New Jersey Georgia

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Psychology
  • Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio 14:1 12:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 73.5% 52.3%
Dropout rate 26.0% 14.7%
Transferred out N/A 30.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
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
Educational Administration and Supervision (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $73,779
  • Year 2: $75,072
  • Year 3: $81,441
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,460
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $74,943
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,714
  • Year 2: $64,706
  • Year 3: $73,822
Public Health (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,286
  • Year 2: $53,358
  • Year 3: $62,933
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,930
  • Year 2: $58,221
  • Year 3: $60,874
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,046
  • Year 2: $56,415
  • Year 3: $55,879
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $57,138
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $55,763
Social Work (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,671
  • Year 2: $50,263
  • Year 3: $54,461
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $53,775
  • Year 3: $53,125
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,635
  • Year 2: $54,032
  • Year 3: $52,600

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