SHSU vs. TAMUK

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

 SHSU TAMUK
Location Huntsville, TX Kingsville, TX
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 21,403 6,562
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #747 #794
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website shsu.edu tamuk.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SHSU TAMUK
Tuition (In State) $5,856 $5,137
Tuition (Out of State) $15,648 $18,493
Room & Board $11,720 $10,823
Avg Net Price $14,556 $10,474
Avg Grant Aid $9,941 $11,699
% Receiving Grant Aid 65% 94%

Admission

 SHSU TAMUK
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,582 7,915
Admitted 15,014 7,305
Acceptance Rate 85.4% 92.3%
Enrolled % 24% 16.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.45
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range 940/1140 980/1160
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 SHSU TAMUK
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (11%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Agriculture (7%)

Outcomes

 SHSU TAMUK
Graduation Rate 50% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,800 $46,300
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $19,636
Median Loan Payment $222 $203

Diversity

 SHSU TAMUK
% Men 5% 10%
% Women 10% 11%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 53% 18%
% Black 19% 7%
% Hispanic 20% 70%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 SHSU TAMUK
% In-State 99% 99%
% Out-of-State 1% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Sam Houston State University is larger than than TAMUK based on total student enrollment (21,403 students vs. 6,562 students)

SHSU vs. TAMUK Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHSU or TAMUK?

  • Sam Houston State University is 14% more expensive to attend than TAMUK for in-state tuition ($5,856.00 vs. $5,137.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.2% higher at TAMUK than Sam Houston State University ($18,493.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Texas A&M University Kingsville than SHSU ($10,474 vs. $14,556)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Texas A&M University Kingsville are 8.3% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($10,823 vs. $11,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Texas A&M University Kingsville than Sam Houston State University (94% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Texas A&M University Kingsville students is 17.7% larger than aid received Sam Houston State University ($11,699 vs. $9,941)

SHSU vs. TAMUK Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Sam Houston State University (997) is 60 points higher than at TAMUK (937)
  • Incoming SHSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at TAMUK (20)
  • Accepted freshman TAMUK students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • TAMUK has a higher acceptance rate (92.3%) than SHSU (85.4%)

SHSU vs. TAMUK Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SHSU or TAMUK? 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 TAMUK and SHSU.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than Texas A&M University Kingsville (50% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $1,500 more per year than TAMUK graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $46,300)
  • Texas A&M University Kingsville students graduate with a $1,864 lower median federal student loan debt than SHSU graduates. ($19,636 vs. $21,500)
  • TAMUK graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than SHSU graduates. ($203 vs. $222)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TAMUK 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/