McNeese vs. UHCL

Should I go to McNeese State University or University of Houston Clear Lake? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if McNeese or UHCL 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Texas State Tarleton NKU LSU UL Lafayette Lamar University Arkansas State University Alcorn State University LA Tech- Louisiana Tech- Tech NSU
McNeese State University vs. University of Houston Clear Lake comparison
McNeese State University University of Houston Clear Lake College 3 College 4
McNeese State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 McNeese UHCL
Location Lake Charles, LA Houston, TX
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,230 8,562
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #890
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcneese.edu uhcl.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 McNeese UHCL
Tuition (In State) $5,147 $6,024
Tuition (Out of State) $6,647 $19,320
Room & Board $9,878 $9,440
Avg Net Price $10,154 $17,871
Avg Grant Aid $9,540 $16,973
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 78%

Admission

 McNeese UHCL
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,554 1,985
Admitted 2,532 1,377
Acceptance Rate 71.2% 69.4%
Enrolled % 41.6% 25.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/24 19/23
SAT Range 970/1180 990/1173
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jun 1, 2025

Academics

 McNeese UHCL
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Engineering (5%)

Outcomes

 McNeese UHCL
Graduation Rate 37% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,000 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,238 $17,150
Median Loan Payment $209 $177

Diversity

 McNeese UHCL
% Men 38% 37%
% Women 62% 63%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 43%
% Black 18% 9%
% Hispanic 3% 36%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 7% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 McNeese UHCL
% In-State 84% 100%
% Out-of-State 8% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Houston Clear Lake is larger than than McNeese based on total student enrollment (8,562 students vs. 6,230 students)

McNeese vs. UHCL Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, McNeese or UHCL?

  • University of Houston Clear Lake is 17% more expensive to attend than McNeese for in-state tuition ($6,024.00 vs. $5,147.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 190.7% higher at UHCL than McNeese State University ($19,320.00 vs. $6,647.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at McNeese State University than UHCL ($10,154 vs. $17,871)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Houston Clear Lake are 4.6% lower than costs at McNeese State University ($9,440 vs. $9,878)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at McNeese State University than University of Houston Clear Lake (88% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Houston Clear Lake students is 77.9% larger than aid received McNeese State University ($16,973 vs. $9,540)

McNeese vs. UHCL Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at McNeese State University (1029) is 4 points higher than at UHCL (1025)
  • Incoming McNeese students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at UHCL (22)
  • Accepted freshman UHCL students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at McNeese (3.36)
  • McNeese has a higher acceptance rate (71.2%) than UHCL (69.4%)

McNeese vs. UHCL Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, McNeese or UHCL? 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 UHCL and McNeese.

  • Graduates from University of Houston Clear Lake earn on average $9,700 more per year than McNeese graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $44,000)
  • University of Houston Clear Lake students graduate with a $3,088 lower median federal student loan debt than McNeese graduates. ($17,150 vs. $20,238)
  • UHCL graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than McNeese graduates. ($177 vs. $209)
  • More UHCL graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former McNeese students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 49%)

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