Match #1
Emory & Henry College
Emory, VA
Profile closeness74/100
Admit rate84%
- 1,078 students
- Private nonprofit
- Rural: Fringe
- Graduation rate 58%, close to 63%
- Acceptance rate 84%, close to 77%
The colleges most similar to Shenandoah University are Emory & Henry College, Randolph-Macon College-Virginia, and Virginia Wesleyan University. Shenandoah University admits 77% of applicants and has an average net price of $31,149 a year; 10 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 7 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with Shenandoah University. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to Shenandoah University
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
Randolph-Macon College-Virginia
Ashland, VA
Profile closeness72/100
Admit rate87%
- 1,639 students
- Private nonprofit
- Suburb: Large
- Enrollment 1,639 students, close to 2,116
- Acceptance rate 87%, close to 77%
Match #3
Virginia Wesleyan University
Virginia Beach, VA
Profile closeness58/100
Admit rate73%
- 1,256 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Large
- Acceptance rate 73%, close to 77%
- Same control type (private nonprofit)
Match #4
Randolph College-Virginia
Lynchburg, VA
Profile closeness55/100
Admit rate94%
- 658 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Small
- Same control type (private nonprofit)
Match #5
Ferrum College
Ferrum, VA
Profile closeness39/100
Admit rate89%
- 699 students
- Private nonprofit
- Rural: Distant
- Same control type (private nonprofit)
Match #6
Marymount University
Arlington, VA
Profile closeness85/100
Admit rate93%
- 1,810 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Midsize
- Enrollment 1,810 students, close to 2,116
- Average net price $28,521, close to $31,149
Match #7
Hampton University
Hampton, VA
Profile closeness83/100
Admit rate62%
- 3,727 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 64%, close to 63%
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #8
Roanoke College
Salem, VA
Profile closeness80/100
Admit rate83%
- 1,767 students
- Private nonprofit
- Suburb: Midsize
- Graduation rate 64%, close to 63%
- Enrollment 1,767 students, close to 2,116
Match #9
University of Lynchburg
Lynchburg, VA
Profile closeness79/100
Admit rate43%
- 1,577 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 59%, close to 63%
- Enrollment 1,577 students, close to 2,116
Match #10
Eastern Mennonite University
Harrisonburg, VA
Profile closeness67/100
Admit rate100%
- 754 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 60%, close to 63%
- Same control type (private nonprofit)
Questions about Shenandoah University alternatives
What colleges are similar to Shenandoah University?
The closest matches to Shenandoah University are Emory & Henry College, Randolph-Macon College-Virginia, Virginia Wesleyan University, Randolph College-Virginia, and Ferrum College. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is Shenandoah University hard to get into?
Shenandoah University admitted 77% of its 2,616 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 7 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which Shenandoah University alternatives cost less?
10 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than Shenandoah University ($31,149 a year), including Ferrum College ($18,070), Virginia Wesleyan University ($20,237), and Randolph College-Virginia ($22,101). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
