SHSU vs. Texas State

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

 SHSU Texas State
Location Huntsville, TX San Marcos, TX
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 21,403 38,722
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #747 #691
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website shsu.edu txstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SHSU Texas State
Tuition (In State) $5,856 $8,606
Tuition (Out of State) $15,648 $20,366
Room & Board $11,720 $12,270
Avg Net Price $14,556 $15,307
Avg Grant Aid $9,941 $11,169
% Receiving Grant Aid 65% 74%

Admission

 SHSU Texas State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,582 37,183
Admitted 15,014 33,273
Acceptance Rate 85.4% 89.5%
Enrolled % 24% 23.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.38
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 19/26
SAT Range 940/1140 980/1190
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, 2025 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

 SHSU Texas State
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 SHSU Texas State
Graduation Rate 50% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,800 $49,200
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $21,250
Median Loan Payment $222 $219

Diversity

 SHSU Texas State
% Men 5% 4%
% Women 10% 7%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 53% 49%
% Black 19% 9%
% Hispanic 20% 35%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 SHSU Texas State
% In-State 99% 97%
% Out-of-State 1% 2%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Texas State University is larger than than SHSU based on total student enrollment (38,722 students vs. 21,403 students)

SHSU vs. Texas State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHSU or Texas State?

  • Texas State University is 47% more expensive to attend than SHSU for in-state tuition ($8,606.00 vs. $5,856.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.2% higher at Texas State than Sam Houston State University ($20,366.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sam Houston State University than Texas State ($14,556 vs. $15,307)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sam Houston State University are 4.7% lower than costs at Texas State University ($11,720 vs. $12,270)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Texas State University than Sam Houston State University (74% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Texas State University students is 12.4% larger than aid received Sam Houston State University ($11,169 vs. $9,941)

SHSU vs. Texas State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Texas State University (1038) is 41 points higher than at SHSU (997)
  • Incoming Texas State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at SHSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Texas State students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.38) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • Texas State has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than SHSU (85.4%)

SHSU vs. Texas State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SHSU or Texas State? 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 Texas State and SHSU.

  • The graduation rate at Texas State is higher than Sam Houston State University (56% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Texas State University earn on average $1,400 more per year than SHSU graduates after ten years. ($49,200 vs. $47,800)
  • Texas State University students graduate with a $250 lower median federal student loan debt than SHSU graduates. ($21,250 vs. $21,500)
  • Texas State graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than SHSU graduates. ($219 vs. $222)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Texas State students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 55%)

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