Metropolitan State College of Denver vs. SHSU

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

Metropolitan State College of Denver SHSU
Location Denver, CO Huntsville, TX
Setting Large City Remote Town
Enrollment 16,995 21,480
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #990 #778
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mscd.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Metropolitan State College of Denver SHSU
Tuition (In State) $8,445 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $26,277 $15,648
Room & Board $12,411 $10,908
Avg Net Price $14,805 $13,632
Avg Grant Aid $5,930 $10,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 73%

Admission

Metropolitan State College of Denver SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,163 16,316
Admitted 9,951 13,809
Acceptance Rate 97.9% 84.6%
Enrolled % 19.2% 24.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.03 3.25
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23 18/24
SAT Range 910/1130 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 Jul 1, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Metropolitan State College of Denver SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Metropolitan State College of Denver SHSU
Graduation Rate 21% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,600 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $250 $222

Diversity

Metropolitan State College of Denver SHSU
% Men 43% 36%
% Women 57% 64%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 53%
% Black 6% 19%
% Hispanic 22% 20%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Metropolitan State College of Denver SHSU
% In-State 97% 98%
% Out-of-State 3% 1%

Campus

Metropolitan State College of Denver SHSU
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Sam Houston State University is larger than than Metropolitan State College of Denver based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 16,995 students)

Metropolitan State College of Denver vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Metropolitan State College of Denver or SHSU?

  • Metropolitan State College of Denver is 44.2% more expensive to attend than SHSU for in-state tuition ($8,445.00 vs. $5,856.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67.9% higher at Metropolitan State College of Denver than Sam Houston State University ($26,277.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sam Houston State University than Metropolitan State College of Denver ($13,632 vs. $14,805)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sam Houston State University are 13.8% lower than costs at Metropolitan State College of Denver ($10,908 vs. $12,411)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Metropolitan State College of Denver than Sam Houston State University (100% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sam Houston State University students is 77% larger than aid received Metropolitan State College of Denver ($10,499 vs. $5,930)

Metropolitan State College of Denver vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Sam Houston State University (997) is 26 points higher than at Metropolitan State College of Denver (971)
  • Incoming SHSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Metropolitan State College of Denver (21)
  • Accepted freshman SHSU students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.25) than students at Metropolitan State College of Denver (3.03)
  • Metropolitan State College of Denver has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than SHSU (84.6%)

Metropolitan State College of Denver vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Metropolitan State College of Denver 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 Metropolitan State College of Denver.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than Metropolitan State College of Denver (50% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $5,200 more per year than Metropolitan State College of Denver graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $42,600)
  • Sam Houston State University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Metropolitan State College of Denver graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,250)
  • SHSU graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Metropolitan State College of Denver graduates. ($222 vs. $250)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Metropolitan State College of Denver students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 47%)

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