SHSU vs. South Texas College

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

SHSU South Texas College
Location Huntsville, TX McAllen, TX
Setting Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 21,480 27,894
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #778
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website shsu.edu southtexascollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SHSU South Texas College
Tuition (In State) $5,856 $2,310
Tuition (Out of State) $15,648 $7,500
Room & Board $10,908 $6,745
Avg Net Price $13,632 $1,692
Avg Grant Aid $10,499 $7,799
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 99%

Admission

SHSU South Texas College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,316 -
Admitted 13,809 -
Acceptance Rate 84.6% Open
Enrolled % 24.6% Open
Avg High School GPA 3.25 -
Typical High School Grades B -
Admissions Standards Very Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 960/1140
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025 Jun 18, 2025

Academics

SHSU South Texas College
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Business (10%)
  • General Studies (6%)

Outcomes

SHSU South Texas College
Graduation Rate 50% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,800 $34,200
Making Student Loan Payments 57% -
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 N/A
Median Loan Payment $222 N/A

Diversity

SHSU South Texas College
% Men 36% 43%
% Women 64% 57%
Racial Diversity High Extremely Low
HBCU No No
% White 53% 3%
% Black 19% 0%
% Hispanic 20% 95%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

SHSU South Texas College
% In-State 98% 100%
% Out-of-State 1% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • South Texas College is larger than than SHSU based on total student enrollment (27,894 students vs. 21,480 students)

SHSU vs. South Texas College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHSU or South Texas College?

  • Sam Houston State University is 124.4% more expensive to attend than South Texas College for in-state tuition ($5,856.00 vs. $2,610.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 108.6% higher at SHSU than South Texas College ($15,648.00 vs. $7,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at South Texas College than SHSU ($1,692 vs. $13,632)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at South Texas College are 61.7% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($6,745 vs. $10,908)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at South Texas College than Sam Houston State University (99% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sam Houston State University students is 34.6% larger than aid received South Texas College ($10,499 vs. $7,799)

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

SHSU vs. South Texas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SHSU or South Texas College? 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 South Texas College and SHSU.

  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $13,600 more per year than South Texas College graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $34,200)

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