SHSU vs. TAMUK

Deciding between Sam Houston State University and Texas A&M University Kingsville? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Sam Houston State University
Texas A&M University Kingsville

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • SHSU Huntsville, TX
  • TAMUK Kingsville, TX
  • Setting
  • SHSU Remote Town
  • TAMUK Distant Town
  • Total enrollment
  • SHSU 21,039
  • TAMUK 6,864
  • Type
  • SHSU Public 4 Year
  • TAMUK Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • SHSU #794
  • TAMUK #864
  • Religious Affiliation
  • SHSU -
  • TAMUK -
  • Status
  • SHSU Non-profit
  • TAMUK Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • SHSU
  • TAMUK

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • SHSU $9,228
  • TAMUK $9,892
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • SHSU $19,068
  • TAMUK $25,746
  • Room & Board
  • SHSU $11,720
  • TAMUK $11,200
  • Average Net Price
  • SHSU $14,737
  • TAMUK $12,812
  • Average Grant Aid
  • SHSU $10,669
  • TAMUK $11,163
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • SHSU 66%
  • TAMUK 96%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • SHSU 17,179
  • TAMUK 8,846
  • Admitted
  • SHSU 15,506
  • TAMUK 8,043
  • Acceptance Rate
  • SHSU 90.3%
  • TAMUK 90.9%
  • Enrolled
  • SHSU 21.1%
  • TAMUK 16%
  • Typical SAT score
  • SHSU 1030
  • TAMUK 1050
  • Typical ACT score
  • SHSU 20
  • TAMUK
  • Average High School GPA
  • SHSU 3.25
  • TAMUK 3.45
  • Typical High School Grades
  • SHSU B+
  • TAMUK B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • SHSU Very Easy
  • TAMUK Extremely Easy
  • Applicant Competition
  • SHSU
  • TAMUK
  • ACT Range
  • SHSU 17/24
  • TAMUK
  • SAT Range
  • SHSU 930/1120
  • TAMUK 990/1110
  • Submit Test Scores
  • SHSU Test optional
  • TAMUK Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • SHSU Aug 1, 2027
  • TAMUK Aug 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • SHSU 19:1
  • TAMUK 18:1
  • Popular Majors
  • SHSU
    • Business (27%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
    • General Studies (12%)
    • Psychology (6%)
    • Communication (5%)
  • TAMUK
    • Engineering (22%)
    • Business (11%)
    • General Studies (8%)
    • Social Sciences (8%)
    • Agriculture (7%)

  • Outcomes

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

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • SHSU 37%
  • TAMUK 48%
  • % Women
  • SHSU 63%
  • TAMUK 52%
  • Racial Diversity
  • SHSU High
  • TAMUK Medium
  • HBCU
  • SHSU No
  • TAMUK No
  • % White
  • SHSU 53%
  • TAMUK 18%
  • % Asian
  • SHSU 1%
  • TAMUK 1%
  • % Black
  • SHSU 19%
  • TAMUK 7%
  • % Hispanic
  • SHSU 20%
  • TAMUK 70%
  • % Native American
  • SHSU 1%
  • TAMUK 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • SHSU 0%
  • TAMUK 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • SHSU 3%
  • TAMUK 1%
  • % International
  • SHSU 1%
  • TAMUK 3%
  • % Unknown Race
  • SHSU 2%
  • TAMUK 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • SHSU 98%
  • TAMUK 99%
  • % Out-of-State
  • SHSU 1%
  • TAMUK 0%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX with Texas A&M University Kingsville in Kingsville, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sam Houston State University is larger than TAMUK based on total student enrollment (21,039 students vs. 6,864 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Sam Houston State University is located in Huntsville, TX (Remote Town setting); Texas A&M University Kingsville is in Kingsville, TX (Distant Town setting).
  • Sam Houston State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Texas A&M University Kingsville is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Sam Houston State University 19:1; Texas A&M University Kingsville 18:1.

SHSU vs. TAMUK Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHSU or TAMUK? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Texas A&M University Kingsville than SHSU ($12,812 vs. $14,737).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Texas A&M University Kingsville are 4.4% lower than at Sam Houston State University ($11,200 vs. $11,720).
  • Texas A&M University Kingsville is 7.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than SHSU (about $664 more per year; $9,892.00 vs. $9,228.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 35% higher at TAMUK than at Sam Houston State University (about $6,678 more per year; $25,746.00 vs. $19,068.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Texas A&M University Kingsville than at Sam Houston State University (96% vs. 66%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Texas A&M University Kingsville students is 4.6% larger than aid received by Sam Houston State University students ($11,163 vs. $10,669).

SHSU vs. TAMUK Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SHSU or TAMUK? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between TAMUK and SHSU.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Texas A&M University Kingsville (1050) is 20 points higher than at SHSU (1030).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Sam Houston State University 930/1120; Texas A&M University Kingsville 990/1110.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Sam Houston State University 17/24.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SHSU - Test optional; TAMUK - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: SHSU Aug 1, 2027; TAMUK Aug 1, 2027.
  • 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 (90.9%) than SHSU (90.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 21.1% at SHSU vs. 16% at TAMUK.

SHSU vs. TAMUK Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SHSU and TAMUK? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Sam Houston State University's six-year graduation rate (50%) is higher than Texas A&M University Kingsville's (33%).
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn a median of about $1,500 more per year than TAMUK graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,800 vs. $46,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Texas A&M University Kingsville graduates have a $1,864 lower median loan debt than SHSU graduates ($19,636 vs. $21,500).
  • Among borrowers, TAMUK graduates have an estimated $19 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.