Sacramento State vs. SHSU

Should I go to California State University Sacramento or Sam Houston State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Sacramento State or SHSU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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California State University Sacramento vs. Sam Houston State University comparison
California State University Sacramento Sam Houston State University College 3 College 4
California State University Sacramento Sam Houston State University
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Overview

Sacramento State SHSU
Location Sacramento, CA Huntsville, TX
Setting Large City Remote Town
Enrollment 31,172 21,403
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #841 #747
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csus.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Sacramento State SHSU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $15,648
Room & Board $16,278 $11,720
Avg Net Price $11,183 $14,556
Avg Grant Aid $11,503 $9,941
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 65%

Admission

Sacramento State SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,994 17,582
Admitted 24,336 15,014
Acceptance Rate 93.6% 85.4%
Enrolled % 16% 24%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.25
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23 19/25
SAT Range 930/1130 940/1140
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Sacramento State SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Sacramento State SHSU
Graduation Rate 42% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,750 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $162 $222

Diversity

Sacramento State SHSU
% Men 3% 5%
% Women 6% 10%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 29% 53%
% Black 6% 19%
% Hispanic 29% 20%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 6% 2%

Students

Sacramento State SHSU
% In-State 97% 99%
% Out-of-State 1% 1%

Campus

Sacramento State SHSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Sacramento is larger than than SHSU based on total student enrollment (31,172 students vs. 21,403 students)

Sacramento State vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Sacramento State or SHSU?

  • Sam Houston State University is 2% more expensive to attend than Sacramento State for in-state tuition ($5,856.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.6% higher at Sacramento State than Sam Houston State University ($17,622.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Sacramento than SHSU ($11,183 vs. $14,556)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sam Houston State University are 38.9% lower than costs at California State University Sacramento ($11,720 vs. $16,278)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Sacramento than Sam Houston State University (80% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Sacramento students is 15.7% larger than aid received Sam Houston State University ($11,503 vs. $9,941)

Sacramento State vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Sacramento State or SHSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SHSU or Sacramento State .

  • The average SAT score at Sam Houston State University (997) is 49 points higher than at Sacramento State (948)
  • Incoming SHSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Sacramento State (20)
  • Accepted freshman Sacramento State students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • Sacramento State has a higher acceptance rate (93.6%) than SHSU (85.4%)

Sacramento State vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Sacramento State or SHSU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between SHSU and Sacramento State.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than California State University Sacramento (50% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from California State University Sacramento earn on average $3,200 more per year than SHSU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $47,800)
  • California State University Sacramento students graduate with a $5,750 lower median federal student loan debt than SHSU graduates. ($15,750 vs. $21,500)
  • Sacramento State graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than SHSU graduates. ($162 vs. $222)
  • More Sacramento State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SHSU students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 57%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/