Shepherd University
Shepherdstown, WV301 North King St, Shepherdstown, WV 25443
304-876-5000
Shepherd University is a public university in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, United States. The university is a member of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It was founded in 1871 as Shepherd College and became a university in 2004. The university offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in more than 40 majors and concentrations.
Shepherd University was founded in 1871 as Shepherd College, a private institution affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church. The college was named after its founder, Thomas Shepherd, a wealthy landowner and businessman who donated $20,000 to the college. The college opened with five faculty members and 16 students. The first class graduated in 1873.
In the early years, the college struggled financially and was forced to close its doors several times. It was saved from bankruptcy in 1882 by a $10,000 donation from John D. Rockefeller. The college was purchased by the state of West Virginia in 1917 and became a state-supported institution.
The college continued to grow in the 20th century, adding new programs and buildings. In 2004, the college was renamed Shepherd University and granted university status. The university now offers more than 40 majors and concentrations, as well as bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.
Shepherd University is located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, a historic town located on the Potomac River. The university's campus is situated on 63 acres (25 hectares) of land. The campus includes several historic buildings, including the War Memorial Chapel, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The university's athletic teams compete in the NCAA Division II West Virginia Conference. The university's mascot is the Rams and its colors are green and white.
Quick Facts
Enrollment: 3159
Acceptance Rate: 97.70%
Type: Public, 4-year or above
Main Website: https://www.shepherd.edu/
Financial Aid: https://www.shepherd.edu/financialaid
Annual Costs
Total Cost In-State On-Campus: $22409
Total Cost Out-State On-Campus: $32849
Return on Investment Rating
The estimated cost for four years as an undergraduate at Shepherd University is $88801.17. This includes the average cost of attendance for four years plus the interest on the average loan over a ten year repayment minus the average of grants and scholarships per student.
We then contrast this figure with average early-career and mid-career average incomes of graduates of four year programs at Shepherd University. For graduates of Shepherd University, we saw an average early-career income of $51500.00 and mid-career income of $94100.00. We then ranked the school's value based on how many years of mid-career income it takes to repay the educational costs.