NSU vs. Tarleton

Should I go to Northeastern State University or Tarleton State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NSU or Tarleton 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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Northeastern State University vs. Tarleton State University comparison
Northeastern State University Tarleton State University College 3 College 4
Northeastern State University Tarleton State University
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Overview

NSU Tarleton
Location Tahlequah, OK Stephenville, TX
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 6,702 14,092
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #933 #871
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsuok.edu tarleton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NSU Tarleton
Tuition (In State) $6,285 $4,416
Tuition (Out of State) $15,270 $14,208
Room & Board $8,292 $10,328
Avg Net Price $9,669 $13,755
Avg Grant Aid $8,528 $8,463
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 79%

Admission

NSU Tarleton
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,674 5,788
Admitted 1,665 5,039
Acceptance Rate 99.5% 87.1%
Enrolled % 42.5% 48.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.49 3.21
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23 18/24
SAT Range 875/1130 950/1150
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

NSU Tarleton
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • General Studies (18%)
  • Agriculture (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

NSU Tarleton
Graduation Rate 26% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $45,500
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,000 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $186 $204

Diversity

NSU Tarleton
% Men 35% 36%
% Women 65% 64%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 50% 68%
% Black 4% 8%
% Hispanic 5% 18%
% Native American 19% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 17% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

NSU Tarleton
% In-State 91% 97%
% Out-of-State 8% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Tarleton State University is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (14,092 students vs. 6,702 students)

NSU vs. Tarleton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or Tarleton?

  • Northeastern State University is 42.3% more expensive to attend than Tarleton for in-state tuition ($6,285.00 vs. $4,416.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.5% higher at NSU than Tarleton State University ($15,270.00 vs. $14,208.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northeastern State University than Tarleton ($9,669 vs. $13,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northeastern State University are 24.6% lower than costs at Tarleton State University ($8,292 vs. $10,328)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northeastern State University than Tarleton State University (96% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northeastern State University students is 0.8% larger than aid received Tarleton State University ($8,528 vs. $8,463)

NSU vs. Tarleton Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northeastern State University (988) is 29 points higher than at Tarleton (959)
  • Incoming NSU students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at Tarleton (21)
  • Accepted freshman NSU students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.49) than students at Tarleton (3.21)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than Tarleton (87.1%)

NSU vs. Tarleton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU or Tarleton? 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 Tarleton and NSU.

  • The graduation rate at Tarleton is higher than Northeastern State University (39% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Tarleton State University earn on average $5,300 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($45,500 vs. $40,200)
  • Northeastern State University students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Tarleton graduates. ($18,000 vs. $19,750)
  • NSU graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Tarleton graduates. ($186 vs. $204)
  • More Tarleton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 48%)

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