MSU vs. SHSU

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

MSU SHSU
Location Wichita Falls, TX Huntsville, TX
Setting Midsize City Remote Town
Enrollment 5,784 21,480
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #817 #778
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mwsu.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MSU SHSU
Tuition (In State) $5,877 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $7,827 $15,648
Room & Board $10,046 $10,908
Avg Net Price $11,361 $13,632
Avg Grant Aid $10,643 $10,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 73%

Admission

MSU SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,507 16,316
Admitted 5,090 13,809
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 84.6%
Enrolled % 15.4% 24.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.25
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/22 18/24
SAT Range 910/1100 960/1140
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2024

Academics

MSU SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Business (22%)
  • General Studies (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (3%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

MSU SHSU
Graduation Rate 34% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,300 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,299 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $230 $222

Diversity

MSU SHSU
% Men 36% 36%
% Women 64% 64%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 52% 53%
% Black 14% 19%
% Hispanic 17% 20%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 9% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

MSU SHSU
% In-State 94% 98%
% Out-of-State 3% 1%

Campus

MSU 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 MSU based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 5,784 students)

MSU vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MSU or SHSU?

  • Midwestern State University is 0.4% more expensive to attend than SHSU for in-state tuition ($5,877.00 vs. $5,856.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 99.9% higher at SHSU than Midwestern State University ($15,648.00 vs. $7,827.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Midwestern State University than SHSU ($11,361 vs. $13,632)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Midwestern State University are 8.6% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($10,046 vs. $10,908)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Midwestern State University than Sam Houston State University (100% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Midwestern State University students is 1.4% larger than aid received Sam Houston State University ($10,643 vs. $10,499)

MSU vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Midwestern State University (1002) is 5 points higher than at SHSU (997)
  • Incoming MSU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at SHSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman SHSU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.25) than students at MSU (3.2)
  • MSU has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than SHSU (84.6%)

MSU vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MSU 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 MSU.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than Midwestern State University (50% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $3,500 more per year than MSU graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $44,300)
  • Sam Houston State University students graduate with a $799 lower median federal student loan debt than MSU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,299)
  • SHSU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than MSU graduates. ($222 vs. $230)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MSU students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 56%)

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