Shenandoah U vs George Mason University (GMU)

Shenandoah University and George Mason University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in Virginia, offer distinct educational experiences. Shenandoah, a private university with a smaller student body, boasts a higher acceptance rate and a focus on personalized attention. George Mason, a public research university, offers a wider range of academic programs, including doctoral degrees, and attracts a more diverse student population. While Shenandoah excels in healthcare-related fields, George Mason shines in engineering and computer science. Both universities offer vibrant campus life and opportunities for student involvement, but their unique strengths and characteristics cater to different aspirations and preferences. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your academic goals and personal aspirations.

	George Mason University	Shenandoah University
Overview
Location	Fairfax, Virginia	Winchester, Virginia
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	City: Small
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	84.0%	76.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation		Methodism

Admission
Acceptance rate	91.3%	74.4%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $75	Undergraduate: $30 Graduate: $30
SAT range	1140 - 1350	N/A
ACT range	25 - 30	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	37.0%
Students submitting ACT score	3.0%
Total number of applicants	20,527	2,616
Total number of admissions given out	18,741	1,945
Admitted students who chose to enroll	3,986	509
Yield rate	21.3%	26.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $35,263 Out of state: $58,723	$49,610
Average net price	$18,841	$29,077
Tuition	In state: $9,510 Out of state: $32,970	$33,140
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $7,620 Meal plan: $5,010	$11,020
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	70.0% Average amount $10,110	100.0% Average amount $19,733
Students receiving federal student loan	43.0% Average amount $5,006	94.0% Average amount $5,736
Students taking out private loans	6.0% Average amount $18,474	15.0% Average amount $19,715

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	26,882 Men 50.4% Women 49.6%	2,416 Men 38.2% Women 61.8%
Graduate students	11,746 Men 40.7% Women 59.3%	1,871 Men 22.3% Women 77.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	18.9%	47.2%
International students	8.0%	1.2%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	6,513	1,185
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Virginia Maryland District of Columbia Pennsylvania New York	Virginia Maryland Pennsylvania West Virginia North Carolina

Academics
Popular study areas	Education Health Professions Business Computer and Information Science Engineering	Health Professions Education Visual & Performing Arts Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	16:1	11:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	70.1%	64.0%
Dropout rate	9.6%	18.4%
Transferred out	16.5%	17.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $96,837 Year 2: $109,763 Year 3: $127,586 Homeland Security (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $101,476 Year 2: $127,993 Year 3: $120,573 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $101,886 Year 2: $99,709 Year 3: $117,377 Computer Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $112,424 Year 2: $101,072 Year 3: $115,693 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $98,841 Year 2: $105,585 Year 3: $113,896 Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $121,226 Year 2: $92,632 Year 3: $105,664 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $101,843 Year 2: $100,690 Year 3: $101,702 Medical Illustration and Informatics (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $78,386 Year 2: $84,653 Year 3: $101,604 Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $86,911 Year 2: $91,448 Year 3: $99,722 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $94,065 Year 2: $92,277 Year 3: $94,785	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $111,275 Year 2: $118,737 Year 3: $125,770 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $52,265 Year 2: $76,460 Year 3: $113,374 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $103,402 Year 2: $100,108 Year 3: $104,182 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $93,531 Year 2: $77,401 Year 3: $86,370 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $73,152 Year 2: $76,083 Year 3: $82,110 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,690 Year 2: $62,911 Year 3: $61,865 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $65,799 Year 2: $65,131 Year 3: $60,303 Education, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $53,356 Year 2: $53,045 Year 3: $55,231 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,313 Year 2: $39,585 Year 3: $47,322 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $42,932

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