McNeese vs. SHSU

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

McNeese SHSU
Location Lake Charles, LA Huntsville, TX
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 6,230 21,480
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #890 #778
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcneese.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

McNeese SHSU
Tuition (In State) $5,147 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $6,647 $15,648
Room & Board $9,878 $10,908
Avg Net Price $10,154 $13,632
Avg Grant Aid $9,540 $10,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 73%

Admission

McNeese SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,554 16,316
Admitted 2,532 13,809
Acceptance Rate 71.2% 84.6%
Enrolled % 41.6% 24.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.25
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 18/24
SAT Range 970/1180 960/1140
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2024

Academics

McNeese SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Engineering (5%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

McNeese SHSU
Graduation Rate 37% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,000 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,238 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $209 $222

Diversity

McNeese SHSU
% Men 38% 36%
% Women 62% 64%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 53%
% Black 18% 19%
% Hispanic 3% 20%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 7% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

McNeese SHSU
% In-State 84% 98%
% Out-of-State 8% 1%

Campus

McNeese 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 McNeese based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 6,230 students)

McNeese vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, McNeese or SHSU?

  • Sam Houston State University is 13.8% more expensive to attend than McNeese for in-state tuition ($5,856.00 vs. $5,147.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 135.4% higher at SHSU than McNeese State University ($15,648.00 vs. $6,647.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at McNeese State University than SHSU ($10,154 vs. $13,632)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McNeese State University are 10.4% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($9,878 vs. $10,908)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at McNeese State University than Sam Houston State University (88% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sam Houston State University students is 10.1% larger than aid received McNeese State University ($10,499 vs. $9,540)

McNeese vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at McNeese State University (1029) is 32 points higher than at SHSU (997)
  • Incoming McNeese students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at SHSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman McNeese students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • SHSU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than McNeese (71.2%)

McNeese vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, McNeese 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 McNeese.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than McNeese State University (50% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $3,800 more per year than McNeese graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $44,000)
  • McNeese State University students graduate with a $1,262 lower median federal student loan debt than SHSU graduates. ($20,238 vs. $21,500)
  • McNeese graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than SHSU graduates. ($209 vs. $222)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former McNeese students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 49%)

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