Shepherd University

www.shepherd.edu

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2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$6,288

2023 Average Net Price

$12,651

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

95.6%

1,793 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

3,318

70% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

49.5%

292 Graduates

About

Shepherd University is a higher education institution located in Jefferson County, WV. In 2023, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Shepherd University were Registered Nursing (66 degrees awarded), General Studies (65 degrees), and General Business Administration & Management (59 degrees).

In 2023, 594 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Shepherd University. 63.8% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 36.2% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (447 degrees), 11.8 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (38 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Shepherd University is $6,288, which is $−22,992 less than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($29,280).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Shepherd University was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 817 total borrowers.

Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus Baccalaureate Colleges

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at Shepherd University is $6,288, which is $22,992 less than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($29,280).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $12,651.

In 2023, 64% of undergraduate students attending Shepherd University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 41% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$6,288

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at Shepherd University was $6,288. The cost of tuition at Shepherd University is $−22,992 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($29,280).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Shepherd University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$12,651

2023 Value

28.7%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 Shepherd University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $12,651. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of Shepherd University grew by 28.7%.

This chart compares the average net price of Shepherd University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$12,140

Room and Board

$1,000

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Shepherd University was of $12,140 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 1.33% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,000. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Shepherd University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

64%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

41%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

64% of undergraduate students at Shepherd University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a decline of 8.57% with respect to 2022, when 70% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Shepherd University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Shepherd University was 0%, which represents 0 out of the 817 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Shepherd University received 1,793 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 6.09% annual growth. Out of those 1,793 applicants, 1,715 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 95.6% acceptance rate.

There were 3,318 students enrolled at Shepherd University in 2023. 60% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Shepherd University has an overall enrollment yield of 33%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

95.6%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

1,715

Accepted Out of 1,793

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Shepherd University was 95.6% (1,715 admissions from 1,793 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 95.9%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants grew by 6.09%, while admissions grew by 5.86%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Shepherd University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

60%

Submission Percentage (2023)

342

Scores Submitted (2023)

60% of enrolled first-time students at Shepherd University in 2023 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Shepherd University had a total enrollment of 3,318 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at Shepherd University is 2,322 students and the part-time enrollment is 996. This means that 70% of students enrolled at Shepherd University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Shepherd University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 69% White, 8.44% Hispanic or Latino, 7.87% Black or African American, 5.7% Two or More Races, 1.75% Asian, 0.181% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0904% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Shepherd University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (45.3%), followed by White Male (26.1%) and Black or African American Male (5.47%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (48.9%), followed by White Male (20.9%) and Black or African American Female (8.2%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

70%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Shepherd University in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 3,318 students. The full-time enrollment at Shepherd University is 2,322 and the part-time enrollment is 996. This means that 70% of students enrolled at Shepherd University are enrolled full-time compared with 78.8% at similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Shepherd University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

72%

2023 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Shepherd University was 72%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Baccalaureate Colleges (74%), Shepherd University had a retention rate lower than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Shepherd University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
2,290 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
280 enrolled students
Black or African American
261 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Shepherd University is 69% White, 8.44% Hispanic or Latino, 7.87% Black or African American, 5.7% Two or More Races, 1.75% Asian, 0.181% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0904% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Baccalaureate Colleges is 53.2% White, 14.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 12.9% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 199 students (6%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 164 more women than men received degrees from Shepherd University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Shepherd University is white (447 degrees awarded). There were 11.8 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (38 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Shepherd University is Registered Nursing (66 degrees awarded), followed by General Studies (65 degrees) and General Business Administration & Management (59 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Shepherd University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Natural Resources & Conservation (16 degrees awarded), Cultural & Gender Studies (6 degrees), and Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (25 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Shepherd University are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,495,068 people), Secondary school teachers (489,361 people), Education administrators (264,678 people), Special education teachers (203,807 people), and Preschool & kindergarten teachers (185,738 people).

The most specialized majors at Shepherd University in 2023 are Natural Resources & Conservation (16 degrees awarded), Cultural & Gender Studies (6 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (25 degrees), Public Administration and Social Service (28 degrees), and Education (70 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Diagnostic medical sonographers

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Shepherd University are Diagnostic medical sonographers, Surgeons, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, Physicians, and Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents

The most specialized majors at Shepherd University are Natural Resources & Conservation (16 degrees awarded), Cultural & Gender Studies (6 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (25 degrees), Public Administration and Social Service (28 degrees), and Education (70 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Shepherd University are Elementary & secondary schools (3,175,782 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (536,347 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (250,887 people), Computer Systems Design (203,741 people), and Legal services (180,706 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Shepherd University.

Most Common (2023)

Registered Nursing
66 degrees awarded
General Studies
65 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
59 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Shepherd University was Registered Nursing with 66 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Shepherd University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

215

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

379

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 215 degrees were awarded to men at Shepherd University, which is 0.567 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (379).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Shepherd University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 50 degrees were awarded to men at Shepherd University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.32 times more than the 38 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 64 degrees were awarded to men at Shepherd University in Registered Nursing, which is 32 times more than the 2 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

33%

100% Completion Time

44%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 33% of students graduating from Shepherd University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 44% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 44% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Baccalaureate Colleges Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Female

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Shepherd University is Female and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Baccalaureate Colleges, Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2.74% of graduates (8 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
447 degrees awarded
Black or African American
38 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
36 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Shepherd University is white (447 degrees awarded). There were 11.8 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (38 degrees).

2.86% of degree recipients (17 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Female
296 degrees awarded
White Male
151 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
25 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Shepherd University is white female (296 degrees awarded). There were 1.96 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (151 degrees).

Operations

Shepherd University has an endowment valued at nearly $29.7M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 298k (1%) compared to the 4.79% average return (2.46M on 51.4M) across all Baccalaureate Colleges.

In 2023, Shepherd University had a total salary expenditure of 52.4M. Shepherd University employs 41 Associate professors, 34 Professors and 33 Assistant professors. Most academics at Shepherd University are Male Associate professor (22), Female Associate professor (19), and Male Assistant professor (18).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Shepherd University are: Management, with 52 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 37 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 36 employees.

Endowment

$29.7M

2023 Endowment

8.86%

growth from 2022

Shepherd University has an endowment valued at about $29.7M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of Shepherd University grew 8.86% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $21.7M lower than than the median endowment of Baccalaureate Colleges according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Shepherd University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$25.3M

2023 Salaries

1.37%

growth from 2022

In 2023, Shepherd University paid a median of $25.3M in salaries, which represents 48.3% of their overall expenditure ($52.4M) and a 1.37% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 1.71% decline between 2021 and 2022, and a 0.347% growth between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Baccalaureate Colleges is 15.7M (37.9% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$8.6M

Instructional Salaries

124

Number of Employees

In 2023, Shepherd University paid a total of $8.6M to 124 employees working as instructors, which represents 34% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $552k (3.27%) for similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

Occupations by Share

Associate professor

Most Common Instructor

41 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

52 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at Shepherd University were Associate professor with 41 employees, Professor with 34 employees, and Assistant professor with 33 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Shepherd University were Management with 52 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 37 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 36 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Male Associate professor
Female Associate professor
Male Assistant professor

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Shepherd University was Male Associate professor with 22 employees, Female Associate professor with 19 employees, and Male Assistant professor with 18 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Shepherd University.

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