Bluefield University vs Shepherd University

Bluefield University and Shepherd University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in West Virginia, offer distinct educational experiences. Bluefield University, a private Christian university, boasts a tight-knit community with a focus on personalized attention, while Shepherd University, a public university, prides itself on its comprehensive academic programs and vibrant campus life. With varying acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, these universities cater to different student preferences and aspirations. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your academic goals, personal values, and desired college experience.

	Bluefield University	Shepherd University
Overview
Location	Bluefield, Virginia	Shepherdstown, West Virginia
Campus setting	Town: Distant	Town: Fringe
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	59.0%	66.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation	Baptist

Admission
Acceptance rate	72.3%	96.4%
Application fees	$120	Undergraduate: $45 Graduate: $40
SAT range	N/A	960 - 1180
ACT range	N/A	19 - 26
Students submitting SAT score		47.0%
Students submitting ACT score		17.0%
Total number of applicants	800	1,338
Total number of admissions given out	578	1,290
Admitted students who chose to enroll	116	419
Yield rate	20.1%	32.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$41,538	In state: $23,132 Out of state: $33,572
Average net price	$18,726	$10,360
Tuition	$27,050	In state: $5,790 Out of state: $15,276
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $4,934 Meal plan: $5,743	Room/dormitory: $5,798 Meal plan: $5,050
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	98.0% Average amount $19,706	87.0% Average amount $7,767
Students receiving federal student loan	75.0% Average amount $5,103	53.0% Average amount $5,075
Students taking out private loans	5.0% Average amount $12,332	7.0% Average amount $12,449

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	718 Men 50.1% Women 49.9%	2,450 Men 39.6% Women 60.4%
Graduate students	230 Men 32.2% Women 67.8%	565 Men 22.1% Women 77.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	27.6%
International students	1.9%	1.4%
Campus local/setting	Town: Distant	Town: Fringe
Dormitory capacity	358	1,052
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	West Virginia Maryland Virginia Pennsylvania District of Columbia

Academics
Popular study areas	Biological and Biomedical Sciences Business Health Professions Law Enforcement and Firefighting Kinesiology & Leisure Studies	Health Professions Liberal Arts Education Social Sciences Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio	14:1	14:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	34.9%	44.1%
Dropout rate	45.6%	43.3%
Transferred out	18.8%	10.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $62,939 Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $72,623 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $49,317 Year 2: $41,007 Year 3: $45,528 Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $35,060 Year 3: $35,448 Human Services, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,489 Year 2: $33,993 Year 3: $34,931 Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $16,478 Year 3: N/A Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,131 Year 2: $35,600 Year 3: N/A	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $61,704 Year 2: $61,020 Year 3: $65,982 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $49,620 Year 2: $45,852 Year 3: $53,735 Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,461 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $48,671 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,026 Year 2: $32,391 Year 3: $43,769 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,615 Year 2: $38,670 Year 3: $42,186 Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $35,736 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $40,911 Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,185 Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: $39,264 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,498 Year 2: $31,763 Year 3: $38,847 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,225 Year 2: $35,416 Year 3: $38,312 Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,000 Year 2: $23,340 Year 3: $35,390

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Bluefield University vs Shepherd University

Bluefield University

Shepherd University

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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