GSU- Grambling vs. SHSU

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

 GSU- Grambling SHSU
Location Grambling, LA Huntsville, TX
Setting Rural Fringe Remote Town
Enrollment 5,058 21,480
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1020 #778
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gram.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 GSU- Grambling SHSU
Tuition (In State) $5,140 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $5,140 $15,648
Room & Board $10,990 $10,908
Avg Net Price $15,796 $13,632
Avg Grant Aid $8,442 $10,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 73%

Admission

 GSU- Grambling SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,732 16,316
Admitted 4,547 13,809
Acceptance Rate 42.4% 84.6%
Enrolled % 18.9% 24.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.01 3.25
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/19 18/24
SAT Range 840/990 960/1140
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

 GSU- Grambling SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (15%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 GSU- Grambling SHSU
Graduation Rate 27% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $32,400 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 23% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $37,997 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $392 $222

Diversity

 GSU- Grambling SHSU
% Men 34% 36%
% Women 66% 64%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 1% 53%
% Black 91% 19%
% Hispanic 1% 20%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 GSU- Grambling SHSU
% In-State 60% 98%
% Out-of-State 39% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Sam Houston State University is larger than than GSU- Grambling based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 5,058 students)

GSU- Grambling vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GSU- Grambling or SHSU?

  • Sam Houston State University is 13.9% more expensive to attend than GSU- Grambling for in-state tuition ($5,856.00 vs. $5,140.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 204.4% higher at SHSU than Grambling State University ($15,648.00 vs. $5,140.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sam Houston State University than GSU- Grambling ($13,632 vs. $15,796)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sam Houston State University are 0.8% lower than costs at Grambling State University ($10,908 vs. $10,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grambling State University than Sam Houston State University (96% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sam Houston State University students is 24.4% larger than aid received Grambling State University ($10,499 vs. $8,442)

GSU- Grambling vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Sam Houston State University (997) is 126 points higher than at GSU- Grambling (871)
  • Incoming SHSU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at GSU- Grambling (18)
  • Accepted freshman SHSU students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.25) than students at GSU- Grambling (3.01)
  • SHSU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than GSU- Grambling (42.4%)

GSU- Grambling vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, GSU- Grambling 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 GSU- Grambling.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than Grambling State University (50% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $15,400 more per year than GSU- Grambling graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $32,400)
  • Sam Houston State University students graduate with a $16,497 lower median federal student loan debt than GSU- Grambling graduates. ($21,500 vs. $37,997)
  • SHSU graduates are paying $170 less per month on federal student loans than GSU- Grambling graduates. ($222 vs. $392)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GSU- Grambling students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 23%)

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