SHSU vs. TSU

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

SHSU TSU
Location Huntsville, TX Houston, TX
Setting Remote Town Large City
Enrollment 21,480 8,632
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #778 #1017
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website shsu.edu tsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SHSU TSU
Tuition (In State) $5,856 $7,437
Tuition (Out of State) $15,648 $19,677
Room & Board $10,908 $9,664
Avg Net Price $13,632 $11,826
Avg Grant Aid $10,499 $12,085
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 99%

Admission

SHSU TSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,316 8,582
Admitted 13,809 8,307
Acceptance Rate 84.6% 96.8%
Enrolled % 24.6% 28.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.0
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 15/19
SAT Range 960/1140 820/1000
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 Jul 15, 2024

Academics

SHSU TSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

SHSU TSU
Graduation Rate 50% 12%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,800 $36,200
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 22%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $29,358
Median Loan Payment $222 $303

Diversity

SHSU TSU
% Men 36% 35%
% Women 64% 65%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 53% 2%
% Black 19% 80%
% Hispanic 20% 6%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 1% 8%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

SHSU TSU
% In-State 98% 77%
% Out-of-State 1% 22%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Sam Houston State University is larger than than TSU based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 8,632 students)

SHSU vs. TSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHSU or TSU?

  • Texas Southern University is 27% more expensive to attend than SHSU for in-state tuition ($7,437.00 vs. $5,856.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.7% higher at TSU than Sam Houston State University ($19,677.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Texas Southern University than SHSU ($11,826 vs. $13,632)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Texas Southern University are 12.9% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($9,664 vs. $10,908)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Texas Southern University than Sam Houston State University (99% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Texas Southern University students is 15.1% larger than aid received Sam Houston State University ($12,085 vs. $10,499)

SHSU vs. TSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Sam Houston State University (997) is 180 points higher than at TSU (817)
  • Incoming SHSU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at TSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman SHSU students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.25) than students at TSU (3.0)
  • TSU has a higher acceptance rate (96.8%) than SHSU (84.6%)

SHSU vs. TSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SHSU or TSU? 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 TSU and SHSU.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than Texas Southern University (50% vs. 12%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $11,600 more per year than TSU graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $36,200)
  • Sam Houston State University students graduate with a $7,858 lower median federal student loan debt than TSU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $29,358)
  • SHSU graduates are paying $81 less per month on federal student loans than TSU graduates. ($222 vs. $303)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TSU students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 22%)

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