The Catholic University of America (CUA) vs Saint Joseph's University (SJU)

The Catholic University of America and Saint Joseph's University, both rooted in Catholic tradition, offer distinct educational experiences. The Catholic University of America, located in the heart of Washington, D.C., boasts a higher acceptance rate (73%) compared to Saint Joseph's University's 63%. While Saint Joseph's University is known for its strong business programs, The Catholic University of America excels in fields like nursing, social work, and architecture. The student body demographics also vary, with The Catholic University of America having a slightly larger undergraduate population and a more diverse student body. Saint Joseph's University, on the other hand, has a higher graduation rate (84%) compared to The Catholic University of America's 79%. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
The Catholic University of America logo

The Catholic University of America

Saint Joseph's University logo

Saint Joseph's University

Overview

Location Washington, District of Columbia Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Campus setting City: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 88.0% 89.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Catholic Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 86.0% 83.1%
Application fees $60
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $35
SAT range N/A 1120 - 1310
ACT range N/A 25 - 31
Students submitting SAT score 39.0%
Students submitting ACT score 7.0%
Total number of applicants 5,895 8,119
Total number of admissions given out 5,070 6,746
Admitted students who chose to enroll 691 1,038
Yield rate 13.6% 15.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $74,126 $65,105
Average net price $35,520 $33,438
Tuition $51,040 $47,740
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,220

Meal plan: $6,800
Room/dormitory: $9,424

Meal plan: $5,416
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

96.0%
Average amount $31,915
99.0%
Average amount $30,728
Students receiving federal student loan 56.0%
Average amount $5,308
59.0%
Average amount $5,326
Students taking out private loans 9.0%
Average amount $22,405
13.0%
Average amount $20,869

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,929
Men 44.1% Women 55.9%
4,196
Men 47.9% Women 52.1%
Graduate students 2,130
Men 47.2% Women 52.8%
2,268
Men 35.2% Women 64.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 8.3% 2.7%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,985 2,609
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Legal Profession
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 10:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 73.7% 83.2%
Dropout rate 26.2% 6.8%
Transferred out N/A 9.8%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $100,058
  • Year 2: $100,690
  • Year 3: $108,981
Business Administration, Management and Operations (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,312
  • Year 2: $89,092
  • Year 3: $98,232
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,088
  • Year 2: $73,769
  • Year 3: $83,282
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,128
  • Year 2: $64,162
  • Year 3: $80,941
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,938
  • Year 2: $53,984
  • Year 3: $77,885
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,277
  • Year 2: $54,035
  • Year 3: $77,782
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,219
  • Year 2: $67,101
  • Year 3: $77,474
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,927
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $74,919
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $71,180
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,697
  • Year 2: $63,377
  • Year 3: $66,355
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $162,678
  • Year 2: $144,240
  • Year 3: $157,209
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $87,213
  • Year 2: $91,744
  • Year 3: $103,887
Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $83,139
  • Year 2: $84,653
  • Year 3: $95,990
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,002
  • Year 2: $86,550
  • Year 3: $93,132
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $60,839
  • Year 3: $79,856
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,102
  • Year 2: $67,473
  • Year 3: $75,203
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,162
  • Year 2: $63,997
  • Year 3: $73,059
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,042
  • Year 2: $60,623
  • Year 3: $72,898
Insurance (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,809
  • Year 2: $60,399
  • Year 3: $72,326
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,324
  • Year 2: $61,630
  • Year 3: $70,859

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