UIW vs. SHSU

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

 UIW SHSU
Location San Antonio, TX Huntsville, TX
Setting Large City Remote Town
Enrollment 7,251 21,403
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #737 #747
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiw.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UIW SHSU
Tuition (In State) $33,700 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $33,700 $15,648
Room & Board $13,746 $11,720
Avg Net Price $21,246 $14,556
Avg Grant Aid $24,651 $9,941
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 65%

Admission

 UIW SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,162 17,582
Admitted 10,421 15,014
Acceptance Rate 93.4% 85.4%
Enrolled % 10.2% 24%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.25
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 19/25
SAT Range 900/1140 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

 UIW SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (43%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 UIW SHSU
Graduation Rate 43% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,600 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,179 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $281 $222

Diversity

 UIW SHSU
% Men 14% 5%
% Women 20% 10%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 19% 53%
% Black 7% 19%
% Hispanic 59% 20%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 5% 1%
% Unknown Race 6% 2%

Students

 UIW SHSU
% In-State 97% 99%
% Out-of-State 3% 1%

Campus

 UIW 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 UIW based on total student enrollment (21,403 students vs. 7,251 students)

UIW vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIW or SHSU?

  • University of the Incarnate Word is 475.5% more expensive to attend than SHSU for in-state tuition ($33,700.00 vs. $5,856.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 115.4% higher at UIW than Sam Houston State University ($33,700.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sam Houston State University than UIW ($14,556 vs. $21,246)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sam Houston State University are 17.3% lower than costs at University of the Incarnate Word ($11,720 vs. $13,746)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of the Incarnate Word than Sam Houston State University (99% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of the Incarnate Word students is 148% larger than aid received Sam Houston State University ($24,651 vs. $9,941)

UIW vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Sam Houston State University (997) is 34 points higher than at UIW (963)
  • Incoming SHSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at UIW (21)
  • Accepted freshman UIW students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • UIW has a higher acceptance rate (93.4%) than SHSU (85.4%)

UIW vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UIW 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 UIW.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than University of the Incarnate Word (50% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from University of the Incarnate Word earn on average $1,800 more per year than SHSU graduates after ten years. ($49,600 vs. $47,800)
  • Sam Houston State University students graduate with a $5,679 lower median federal student loan debt than UIW graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,179)
  • SHSU graduates are paying $59 less per month on federal student loans than UIW graduates. ($222 vs. $281)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIW students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 48%)

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