NSU vs. SHSU

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

NSU SHSU
Location Natchitoches, LA Huntsville, TX
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 9,389 21,480
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #975 #778
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsula.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NSU SHSU
Tuition (In State) $5,180 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $15,968 $15,648
Room & Board $10,269 $10,908
Avg Net Price $14,238 $13,632
Avg Grant Aid $9,499 $10,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 73%

Admission

NSU SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,903 16,316
Admitted 2,843 13,809
Acceptance Rate 97.9% 84.6%
Enrolled % 35.9% 24.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.25
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23 18/24
SAT Range 955/1135 960/1140
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, 2024

Academics

NSU SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

NSU SHSU
Graduation Rate 37% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,531 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $222 $222

Diversity

NSU SHSU
% Men 29% 36%
% Women 71% 64%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 54% 53%
% Black 31% 19%
% Hispanic 5% 20%
% Native American 2% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

NSU SHSU
% In-State 98% 98%
% Out-of-State 2% 1%

Campus

NSU 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 NSU based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 9,389 students)

NSU vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or SHSU?

  • Sam Houston State University is 13.1% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($5,856.00 vs. $5,180.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2% higher at NSU than Sam Houston State University ($15,968.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sam Houston State University than NSU ($13,632 vs. $14,238)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern State University of Louisiana are 6.2% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($10,269 vs. $10,908)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern State University of Louisiana than Sam Houston State University (89% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sam Houston State University students is 10.5% larger than aid received Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($10,499 vs. $9,499)

NSU vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern State University of Louisiana (1008) is 11 points higher than at SHSU (997)
  • Incoming NSU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at SHSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman NSU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than SHSU (84.6%)

NSU vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU 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 NSU.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (50% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $9,700 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $38,100)
  • Sam Houston State University students graduate with a $31 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $21,531)
  • Sam Houston State University and NSU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($222 vs. $222)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 46%)

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