PVAMU vs. SHSU

Should I go to Prairie View A & M University or Sam Houston State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PVAMU 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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Prairie View A & M University vs. Sam Houston State University comparison
Prairie View A & M University Sam Houston State University College 3 College 4
Prairie View A & M University Sam Houston State University
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Overview

 PVAMU SHSU
Location Prairie View, TX Huntsville, TX
Setting Distant Town Remote Town
Enrollment 9,056 21,480
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #996 #778
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pvamu.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 PVAMU SHSU
Tuition (In State) $7,387 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $22,590 $15,648
Room & Board $9,605 $10,908
Avg Net Price $12,875 $13,632
Avg Grant Aid $14,071 $10,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 73%

Admission

 PVAMU SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,691 16,316
Admitted 4,329 13,809
Acceptance Rate 76.1% 84.6%
Enrolled % 36% 24.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.25
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/21 18/24
SAT Range 860/1050 960/1140
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 PVAMU SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 PVAMU SHSU
Graduation Rate 34% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,000 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 28% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,955 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $299 $222

Diversity

 PVAMU SHSU
% Men 33% 36%
% Women 67% 64%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 3% 53%
% Black 86% 19%
% Hispanic 6% 20%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 PVAMU SHSU
% In-State 88% 98%
% Out-of-State 12% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Sam Houston State University is larger than than PVAMU based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 9,056 students)

PVAMU vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PVAMU or SHSU?

  • Prairie View A & M University is 26.1% more expensive to attend than SHSU for in-state tuition ($7,387.00 vs. $5,856.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.4% higher at PVAMU than Sam Houston State University ($22,590.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Prairie View A & M University than SHSU ($12,875 vs. $13,632)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Prairie View A & M University are 13.6% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($9,605 vs. $10,908)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Prairie View A & M University than Sam Houston State University (97% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Prairie View A & M University students is 34% larger than aid received Sam Houston State University ($14,071 vs. $10,499)

PVAMU vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Sam Houston State University (997) is 140 points higher than at PVAMU (857)
  • Incoming SHSU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at PVAMU (18)
  • Accepted freshman PVAMU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • SHSU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than PVAMU (76.1%)

PVAMU vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PVAMU 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 PVAMU.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than Prairie View A & M University (50% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $8,800 more per year than PVAMU graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $39,000)
  • Sam Houston State University students graduate with a $7,455 lower median federal student loan debt than PVAMU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $28,955)
  • SHSU graduates are paying $77 less per month on federal student loans than PVAMU graduates. ($222 vs. $299)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PVAMU students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 28%)

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