Henderson State University vs. SHSU

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

Henderson State University SHSU
Location Arkadelphia, AR Huntsville, TX
Setting Distant Town Remote Town
Enrollment 2,136 21,403
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #988 #747
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hsu.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Henderson State University SHSU
Tuition (In State) $6,163 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $8,160 $15,648
Room & Board $10,680 $11,720
Avg Net Price $16,929 $14,556
Avg Grant Aid $9,017 $9,941
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 65%

Admission

Henderson State University SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,814 17,582
Admitted 1,486 15,014
Acceptance Rate 81.9% 85.4%
Enrolled % 20.6% 24%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.25
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/21 19/25
SAT Range 903/1073 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 Jul 15, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Henderson State University SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Henderson State University SHSU
Graduation Rate 31% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $201 $222

Diversity

Henderson State University SHSU
% Men 8% 5%
% Women 23% 10%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 53%
% Black 24% 19%
% Hispanic 4% 20%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Henderson State University SHSU
% In-State 77% 99%
% Out-of-State 21% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Sam Houston State University is larger than than Henderson State University based on total student enrollment (21,403 students vs. 2,136 students)

Henderson State University vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Henderson State University or SHSU?

  • Henderson State University is 5.2% more expensive to attend than SHSU for in-state tuition ($6,163.00 vs. $5,856.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 91.8% higher at SHSU than Henderson State University ($15,648.00 vs. $8,160.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sam Houston State University than Henderson State University ($14,556 vs. $16,929)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Henderson State University are 9.7% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($10,680 vs. $11,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Henderson State University than Sam Houston State University (99% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sam Houston State University students is 10.2% larger than aid received Henderson State University ($9,941 vs. $9,017)

Henderson State University vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Sam Houston State University (997) is 9 points higher than at Henderson State University (988)
  • Incoming SHSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Henderson State University (21)
  • Accepted freshman SHSU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.25) than students at Henderson State University (3.23)
  • SHSU has a higher acceptance rate (85.4%) than Henderson State University (81.9%)

Henderson State University vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Henderson State University 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 Henderson State University.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than Henderson State University (50% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $9,400 more per year than Henderson State University graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $38,400)
  • Henderson State University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than SHSU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,500)
  • Henderson State University graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than SHSU graduates. ($201 vs. $222)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Henderson State University students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 48%)

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