OBU vs. SHSU

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

 OBU SHSU
Location Arkadelphia, AR Huntsville, TX
Setting Distant Town Remote Town
Enrollment 1,784 21,480
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #474 #778
Religious Affiliation Southern Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website obu.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 OBU SHSU
Tuition (In State) $30,500 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $30,500 $15,648
Room & Board $8,800 $10,908
Avg Net Price $21,677 $13,632
Avg Grant Aid $22,181 $10,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 73%

Admission

 OBU SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,063 16,316
Admitted 1,492 13,809
Acceptance Rate 72.3% 84.6%
Enrolled % 29.8% 24.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.25
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Average Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 18/24
SAT Range 1020/1200 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

 OBU SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (20%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 OBU SHSU
Graduation Rate 63% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,400 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $232 $222

Diversity

 OBU SHSU
% Men 41% 36%
% Women 59% 64%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 85% 53%
% Black 7% 19%
% Hispanic 4% 20%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 OBU SHSU
% In-State 63% 98%
% Out-of-State 35% 1%

Campus

 OBU 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 OBU based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 1,784 students)

OBU vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, OBU or SHSU?

  • Ouachita Baptist University is 420.8% more expensive to attend than SHSU for in-state tuition ($30,500.00 vs. $5,856.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 94.9% higher at OBU than Sam Houston State University ($30,500.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sam Houston State University than OBU ($13,632 vs. $21,677)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ouachita Baptist University are 24% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($8,800 vs. $10,908)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ouachita Baptist University than Sam Houston State University (100% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ouachita Baptist University students is 111.3% larger than aid received Sam Houston State University ($22,181 vs. $10,499)

OBU vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ouachita Baptist University (1120) is 123 points higher than at SHSU (997)
  • Incoming OBU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at SHSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman OBU students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • SHSU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than OBU (72.3%)

OBU vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, OBU 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 OBU.

  • The graduation rate at OBU is higher than Sam Houston State University (63% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $4,400 more per year than OBU graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $43,400)
  • Sam Houston State University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than OBU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,500)
  • SHSU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than OBU graduates. ($222 vs. $232)
  • More OBU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SHSU students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 57%)

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