SHSU vs. TLU

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

SHSU TLU
Location Huntsville, TX Seguin, TX
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 21,480 1,369
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #778 #626
Religious Affiliation - American Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website shsu.edu tlu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SHSU TLU
Tuition (In State) $5,856 $33,300
Tuition (Out of State) $15,648 $33,300
Room & Board $10,908 $11,330
Avg Net Price $13,632 $21,442
Avg Grant Aid $10,499 $23,729
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 100%

Admission

SHSU TLU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,316 1,835
Admitted 13,809 1,685
Acceptance Rate 84.6% 91.8%
Enrolled % 24.6% 20.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.9
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 20/27
SAT Range 960/1140 1030/1220
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

SHSU TLU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

SHSU TLU
Graduation Rate 50% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,800 $49,600
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $279

Diversity

SHSU TLU
% Men 36% 47%
% Women 64% 53%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 53% 55%
% Black 19% 9%
% Hispanic 20% 32%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

SHSU TLU
% In-State 98% 97%
% Out-of-State 1% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Sam Houston State University is larger than than TLU based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 1,369 students)

SHSU vs. TLU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHSU or TLU?

  • Texas Lutheran University is 468.6% more expensive to attend than SHSU for in-state tuition ($33,300.00 vs. $5,856.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 112.8% higher at TLU than Sam Houston State University ($33,300.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sam Houston State University than TLU ($13,632 vs. $21,442)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sam Houston State University are 3.9% lower than costs at Texas Lutheran University ($10,908 vs. $11,330)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Texas Lutheran University than Sam Houston State University (100% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Texas Lutheran University students is 126% larger than aid received Sam Houston State University ($23,729 vs. $10,499)

SHSU vs. TLU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Texas Lutheran University (1006) is 9 points higher than at SHSU (997)
  • Incoming SHSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at TLU (21)
  • Accepted freshman TLU students have a 0.65 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • TLU has a higher acceptance rate (91.8%) than SHSU (84.6%)

SHSU vs. TLU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than Texas Lutheran University (50% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from Texas Lutheran University earn on average $1,800 more per year than SHSU graduates after ten years. ($49,600 vs. $47,800)
  • Sam Houston State University students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than TLU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
  • SHSU graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than TLU graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
  • More TLU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SHSU students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 57%)

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