UNM vs. SHSU

Should I go to University of New Mexico Main Campus or Sam Houston State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNM 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 New Mexico Main Campus vs. Sam Houston State University comparison
University of New Mexico Main Campus Sam Houston State University College 3 College 4
University of New Mexico Main Campus Sam Houston State University
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Overview

 UNM SHSU
Location Albuquerque, NM Huntsville, TX
Setting Large City Remote Town
Enrollment 22,700 21,403
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #671 #747
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unm.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNM SHSU
Tuition (In State) $6,803 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $25,138 $15,648
Room & Board $11,884 $11,720
Avg Net Price $7,528 $14,556
Avg Grant Aid $12,252 $9,941
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 65%

Admission

 UNM SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,907 17,582
Admitted 12,320 15,014
Acceptance Rate 95.5% 85.4%
Enrolled % 29.3% 24%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.25
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 19/25
SAT Range 900/1160 940/1140
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, 2025

Academics

 UNM SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 UNM SHSU
Graduation Rate 44% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,700 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $201 $222

Diversity

 UNM SHSU
% Men 11% 5%
% Women 14% 10%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 35% 53%
% Black 2% 19%
% Hispanic 47% 20%
% Native American 6% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 UNM SHSU
% In-State 84% 99%
% Out-of-State 15% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of New Mexico Main Campus is larger than than SHSU based on total student enrollment (22,700 students vs. 21,403 students)

UNM vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNM or SHSU?

  • University of New Mexico Main Campus is 16.2% more expensive to attend than SHSU for in-state tuition ($6,803.00 vs. $5,856.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 60.6% higher at UNM than Sam Houston State University ($25,138.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of New Mexico Main Campus than SHSU ($7,528 vs. $14,556)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sam Houston State University are 1.4% lower than costs at University of New Mexico Main Campus ($11,720 vs. $11,884)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of New Mexico Main Campus than Sam Houston State University (99% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of New Mexico Main Campus students is 23.2% larger than aid received Sam Houston State University ($12,252 vs. $9,941)

UNM vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of New Mexico Main Campus (1040) is 43 points higher than at SHSU (997)
  • Incoming UNM students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at SHSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman UNM students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • UNM has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than SHSU (85.4%)

UNM vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNM 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 UNM.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than University of New Mexico Main Campus (50% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $5,100 more per year than UNM graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $42,700)
  • University of New Mexico Main Campus students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than SHSU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,500)
  • UNM graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than SHSU graduates. ($201 vs. $222)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNM 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/