UNT vs. SHSU

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

 UNT SHSU
Location Denton, TX Huntsville, TX
Setting Midsize City Remote Town
Enrollment 47,507 21,403
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #690 #747
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unt.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNT SHSU
Tuition (In State) $8,319 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $18,399 $15,648
Room & Board $10,805 $11,720
Avg Net Price $14,675 $14,556
Avg Grant Aid $11,142 $9,941
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 65%

Admission

 UNT SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 36,807 17,582
Admitted 26,671 15,014
Acceptance Rate 72.5% 85.4%
Enrolled % 26% 24%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 3.25
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Average Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/27 19/25
SAT Range 980/1230 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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 UNT SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • General Studies (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 UNT SHSU
Graduation Rate 49% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,000 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $206 $222

Diversity

 UNT SHSU
% Men 13% 5%
% Women 15% 10%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 47% 53%
% Black 12% 19%
% Hispanic 22% 20%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 3%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 UNT SHSU
% In-State 90% 99%
% Out-of-State 4% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of North Texas is larger than than SHSU based on total student enrollment (47,507 students vs. 21,403 students)

UNT vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNT or SHSU?

  • University of North Texas is 42.1% more expensive to attend than SHSU for in-state tuition ($8,319.00 vs. $5,856.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.6% higher at UNT than Sam Houston State University ($18,399.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sam Houston State University than UNT ($14,556 vs. $14,675)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Texas are 8.5% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($10,805 vs. $11,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of North Texas than Sam Houston State University (83% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Texas students is 12.1% larger than aid received Sam Houston State University ($11,142 vs. $9,941)

UNT vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Texas (1093) is 96 points higher than at SHSU (997)
  • Incoming UNT students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at SHSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman UNT students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • SHSU has a higher acceptance rate (85.4%) than UNT (72.5%)

UNT vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNT 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 UNT.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than University of North Texas (50% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $800 more per year than UNT graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $47,000)
  • University of North Texas students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SHSU graduates. ($20,000 vs. $21,500)
  • UNT graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than SHSU graduates. ($206 vs. $222)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNT 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/