ATU vs. SHSU

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

ATU SHSU
Location Russellville, AR Huntsville, TX
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 9,445 21,480
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #927 #778
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website atu.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ATU SHSU
Tuition (In State) $5,820 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $11,640 $15,648
Room & Board $9,157 $10,908
Avg Net Price $12,016 $13,632
Avg Grant Aid $8,440 $10,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 73%

Admission

ATU SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,762 16,316
Admitted 5,439 13,809
Acceptance Rate 94.4% 84.6%
Enrolled % 26.7% 24.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.25
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 18/24
SAT Range 990/1180 960/1140
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

ATU SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

ATU SHSU
Graduation Rate 43% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,750 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $183 $222

Diversity

ATU SHSU
% Men 42% 36%
% Women 58% 64%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 53%
% Black 10% 19%
% Hispanic 6% 20%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

ATU SHSU
% In-State 94% 98%
% Out-of-State 5% 1%

Campus

ATU 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 ATU based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 9,445 students)

ATU vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ATU or SHSU?

  • Sam Houston State University is 0.6% more expensive to attend than ATU for in-state tuition ($5,856.00 vs. $5,820.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34.4% higher at SHSU than Arkansas Tech University ($15,648.00 vs. $11,640.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Arkansas Tech University than SHSU ($12,016 vs. $13,632)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Arkansas Tech University are 19.1% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($9,157 vs. $10,908)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Arkansas Tech University than Sam Houston State University (93% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sam Houston State University students is 24.4% larger than aid received Arkansas Tech University ($10,499 vs. $8,440)

ATU vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman ATU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • ATU has a higher acceptance rate (94.4%) than SHSU (84.6%)

ATU vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ATU 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 ATU.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than Arkansas Tech University (50% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $10,700 more per year than ATU graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $37,100)
  • Arkansas Tech University students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than SHSU graduates. ($17,750 vs. $21,500)
  • ATU graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than SHSU graduates. ($183 vs. $222)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ATU students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 51%)

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