LSUA vs. SHSU

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

 LSUA SHSU
Location Alexandria, LA Huntsville, TX
Setting Rural Fringe Remote Town
Enrollment 4,289 21,480
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #950 #778
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lsua.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 LSUA SHSU
Tuition (In State) $4,950 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $5,120 $15,648
Room & Board $9,598 $10,908
Avg Net Price $7,274 $13,632
Avg Grant Aid $7,033 $10,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 73%

Admission

 LSUA SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,913 16,316
Admitted 1,680 13,809
Acceptance Rate 57.7% 84.6%
Enrolled % 24.6% 24.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.16 3.25
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/22 18/24
SAT Range 910/1110 960/1140
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 LSUA SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 LSUA SHSU
Graduation Rate 12% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,700 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,707 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $183 $222

Diversity

 LSUA SHSU
% Men 30% 36%
% Women 70% 64%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 53%
% Black 18% 19%
% Hispanic 4% 20%
% Native American 4% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 LSUA SHSU
% In-State 85% 98%
% Out-of-State 10% 1%

Campus

 LSUA 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

  • Sam Houston State University is larger than than LSUA based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 4,289 students)

LSUA vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LSUA or SHSU?

  • Sam Houston State University is 18.3% more expensive to attend than LSUA for in-state tuition ($5,856.00 vs. $4,950.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 205.6% higher at SHSU than Louisiana State University Alexandria ($15,648.00 vs. $5,120.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Louisiana State University Alexandria than SHSU ($7,274 vs. $13,632)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Louisiana State University Alexandria are 13.6% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($9,598 vs. $10,908)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University Alexandria than Sam Houston State University (95% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sam Houston State University students is 49.3% larger than aid received Louisiana State University Alexandria ($10,499 vs. $7,033)

LSUA vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Sam Houston State University (997) is 47 points higher than at LSUA (950)
  • Incoming SHSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at LSUA (20)
  • Accepted freshman SHSU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.25) than students at LSUA (3.16)
  • SHSU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than LSUA (57.7%)

LSUA vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, LSUA 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 LSUA.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than Louisiana State University Alexandria (50% vs. 12%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $12,100 more per year than LSUA graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $35,700)
  • Louisiana State University Alexandria students graduate with a $3,793 lower median federal student loan debt than SHSU graduates. ($17,707 vs. $21,500)
  • LSUA 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 LSUA students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 46%)

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