ECU vs. SHSU

Should I go to East Central University or Sam Houston State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ECU 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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East Central University vs. Sam Houston State University comparison
East Central University Sam Houston State University College 3 College 4
East Central University Sam Houston State University
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Overview

 ECU SHSU
Location Ada, OK Huntsville, TX
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 3,200 21,403
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #913 #747
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ecok.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ECU SHSU
Tuition (In State) $6,300 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $15,810 $15,648
Room & Board $7,752 $11,720
Avg Net Price $9,355 $14,556
Avg Grant Aid $8,911 $9,941
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 65%

Admission

 ECU SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,161 17,582
Admitted 761 15,014
Acceptance Rate 65.5% 85.4%
Enrolled % 48.6% 24%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.25
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/22 19/25
SAT Range 935/1055 940/1140
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 ECU SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Human Services (14%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 ECU SHSU
Graduation Rate 34% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,300 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,878 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $174 $222

Diversity

 ECU SHSU
% Men 7% 5%
% Women 16% 10%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 53%
% Black 3% 19%
% Hispanic 5% 20%
% Native American 14% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 10% 3%
% International 10% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 ECU SHSU
% In-State 77% 99%
% Out-of-State 11% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Sam Houston State University is larger than than ECU based on total student enrollment (21,403 students vs. 3,200 students)

ECU vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECU or SHSU?

  • East Central University is 7.6% more expensive to attend than SHSU for in-state tuition ($6,300.00 vs. $5,856.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1% higher at ECU than Sam Houston State University ($15,810.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Central University than SHSU ($9,355 vs. $14,556)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Central University are 51.2% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($7,752 vs. $11,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at East Central University than Sam Houston State University (91% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sam Houston State University students is 11.6% larger than aid received East Central University ($9,941 vs. $8,911)

ECU vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Sam Houston State University (997) is 27 points higher than at ECU (970)
  • Incoming SHSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at ECU (21)
  • Accepted freshman ECU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • SHSU has a higher acceptance rate (85.4%) than ECU (65.5%)

ECU vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECU 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 ECU.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than East Central University (50% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $7,500 more per year than ECU graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $40,300)
  • East Central University students graduate with a $4,622 lower median federal student loan debt than SHSU graduates. ($16,878 vs. $21,500)
  • ECU graduates are paying $48 less per month on federal student loans than SHSU graduates. ($174 vs. $222)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECU students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 45%)

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