UAFS vs. SHSU

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

UAFS SHSU
Location Fort Smith, AR Huntsville, TX
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 5,379 21,480
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #778
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uafortsmith.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UAFS SHSU
Tuition (In State) $4,104 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $11,376 $15,648
Room & Board $9,645 $10,908
Avg Net Price $10,705 $13,632
Avg Grant Aid $8,283 $10,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 73%

Admission

UAFS SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 16,316
Admitted - 13,809
Acceptance Rate 84.6%
Enrolled % 24.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.25
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 960/1140
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2024

Academics

UAFS SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Precision Production Trades (10%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (10%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

UAFS SHSU
Graduation Rate 23% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,000 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,132 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $146 $222

Diversity

UAFS SHSU
% Men 40% 36%
% Women 60% 64%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 70% 53%
% Black 4% 19%
% Hispanic 11% 20%
% Native American 2% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

UAFS SHSU
% In-State 87% 98%
% Out-of-State 12% 1%

Campus

UAFS SHSU
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

  • Sam Houston State University is larger than than UAFS based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 5,379 students)

UAFS vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UAFS or SHSU?

  • Sam Houston State University is 42.7% more expensive to attend than UAFS for in-state tuition ($5,856.00 vs. $4,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37.6% higher at SHSU than University of Arkansas Fort Smith ($15,648.00 vs. $11,376.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Arkansas Fort Smith than SHSU ($10,705 vs. $13,632)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas Fort Smith are 13.1% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($9,645 vs. $10,908)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Arkansas Fort Smith than Sam Houston State University (100% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sam Houston State University students is 26.8% larger than aid received University of Arkansas Fort Smith ($10,499 vs. $8,283)

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

  • Accepted freshman UAFS students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at SHSU (3.25)

UAFS vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UAFS 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 UAFS.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than University of Arkansas Fort Smith (50% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $12,800 more per year than UAFS graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $35,000)
  • University of Arkansas Fort Smith students graduate with a $7,368 lower median federal student loan debt than SHSU graduates. ($14,132 vs. $21,500)
  • UAFS graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than SHSU graduates. ($146 vs. $222)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UAFS students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 47%)

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