Shepherd University vs Louisiana State University-Alexandria (LSUA)

Shepherd University and Louisiana State University-Alexandria, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to students with diverse aspirations. Shepherd University, nestled in the historic town of Shepherdstown, West Virginia, boasts a close-knit community and a strong liberal arts foundation. In contrast, Louisiana State University-Alexandria, located in the vibrant city of Alexandria, Louisiana, emphasizes professional and technical programs, preparing students for careers in high-demand fields. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your academic goals and personal preferences.

	Louisiana State University-Alexandria	Shepherd University
Overview
Location	Alexandria, Louisiana	Shepherdstown, West Virginia
Campus setting	Rural: Fringe	Town: Fringe
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	57.0%	66.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	58.3%	96.4%
Application fees	$20	Undergraduate: $45 Graduate: $40
SAT range	970 - 1210	960 - 1180
ACT range	18 - 22	19 - 26
Students submitting SAT score	10.0%	47.0%
Students submitting ACT score	90.0%	17.0%
Total number of applicants	3,174	1,338
Total number of admissions given out	1,850	1,290
Admitted students who chose to enroll	410	419
Yield rate	22.2%	32.5%
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)	Not required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $21,095 Out of state: $28,234	In state: $23,132 Out of state: $33,572
Average net price	$7,342	$10,360
Tuition	In state: $4,895 Out of state: $4,984	In state: $5,790 Out of state: $15,276
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,250 Meal plan: $3,250	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)	88.0% Average amount $6,724	87.0% Average amount $7,767
Students receiving federal student loan	37.0% Average amount $6,430	53.0% Average amount $5,075
Students taking out private loans	3.0% Average amount $6,402	7.0% Average amount $12,449

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	3,771 Men 29.5% Women 70.5%	2,450 Men 39.6% Women 60.4%
Graduate students	N/A	565 Men 22.1% Women 77.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	3.0%	27.6%
International students	1.8%	1.4%
Campus local/setting	Rural: Fringe	Town: Fringe
Dormitory capacity	390	1,052
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Louisiana Florida Texas California Maine	West Virginia Maryland Virginia Pennsylvania District of Columbia

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Liberal Arts Business Psychology Education	Health Professions Liberal Arts Education Social Sciences Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio	15:1	14:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	26.5%	44.1%
Dropout rate	37.5%	43.3%
Transferred out	24.8%	10.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $61,740 Year 2: $44,021 Year 3: $46,159 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,218 Year 2: $42,235 Year 3: $39,780 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,644 Year 2: $25,194 Year 3: $34,788 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,112 Year 2: $30,228 Year 3: $31,471 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $20,239 Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: N/A Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,752 Year 2: $30,228 Year 3: N/A Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $39,737 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,354 Year 2: N/A 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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