Comparison tool
Rankings across 8 publishers plus admissions, cost, debt and outcome data for Henderson State University, Shepherd University, West Liberty University. Every figure is sourced and dated.
| Metric | Henderson StateArkadelphia, AR | Shepherd UniversityShepherdstown, WV | West LibertyWest Liberty, WV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | Not reportedNot reported by Henderson State University in the most recent federal collection. | 96.8% | 97.3% |
| SAT middle 50% | Not reportedHenderson State University did not report an SAT score range for its most recent entering class. | 878–1140 | 890–1123 |
| Average net price | $23,40546.2% on Pell grants | $11,36329.4% on Pell grants | $15,36631.9% on Pell grants |
| Published tuition & fees | $8,244 in-state · $10,620 outMost recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $9,056 in-state · $19,082 outMost recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $8,893 in-state · $17,442 outMost recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release |
| 6-year graduation rate | 37.3% | 51.0% | 59.5% |
| First-year retention | 61.7% | 71.4% | 68.9% |
| Undergraduates on Pell grants | 46.2% | 29.4% | 31.9% |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,459 | $49,358 | $43,296 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $19,500 | $21,600 | $23,250 |
| Student-faculty ratio | 17:1 | 16:1 | 12:1 |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,456 | 2,344 | 1,511 |
| Consensus percentile | 57Lower is better | 57Lower is better | 58Lower is better |
| Methodology sensitivity | 40 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 28 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 39 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points |
Highlighted cells mark the most favourable value in that row where a direction is meaningful. No highlight appears for metrics like enrollment or SAT range, where “better” depends entirely on what you want.
“Not ranked by this source” means that publisher’s list does not include the school — not missing data and not a poor rank.
| Source | Henderson State | Shepherd University | West Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|
| US News | #108 of 135Regional univ. (South)Regional Universities (South) · 2026 | #78 of 135Regional univ. (South)Regional Universities (South) · 2026 | #57 of 135Regional univ. (South)Regional Universities (South) · 2026 |
| Forbes | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| Washington Monthly | #597 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #1055 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #1225 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 |
| WSJ | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| Niche | #1305 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #1091 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #1303 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 |
| Money | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Listed |
| Princeton Review | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| QS | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
Students comparing Henderson State University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing Shepherd University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing West Liberty University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
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