SHSU vs. UT Permian Basin

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

SHSU UT Permian Basin
Location Huntsville, TX Odessa, TX
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 21,480 5,848
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #778 #777
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website shsu.edu utpb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SHSU UT Permian Basin
Tuition (In State) $5,856 $6,577
Tuition (Out of State) $15,648 $18,817
Room & Board $10,908 $10,668
Avg Net Price $13,632 $10,370
Avg Grant Aid $10,499 $11,092
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 96%

Admission

SHSU UT Permian Basin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,316 1,475
Admitted 13,809 1,397
Acceptance Rate 84.6% 94.7%
Enrolled % 24.6% 48.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.27
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 16/21
SAT Range 960/1140 910/1090
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 23, 2025

Academics

SHSU UT Permian Basin
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Work and Family Studies (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

SHSU UT Permian Basin
Graduation Rate 50% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,800 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $13,655
Median Loan Payment $222 $141

Diversity

SHSU UT Permian Basin
% Men 36% 39%
% Women 64% 61%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 53% 40%
% Black 19% 7%
% Hispanic 20% 46%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

SHSU UT Permian Basin
% In-State 98% 89%
% Out-of-State 1% 3%

Campus

SHSU UT Permian Basin
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 UT Permian Basin based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 5,848 students)

SHSU vs. UT Permian Basin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHSU or UT Permian Basin?

  • The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is 12.3% more expensive to attend than SHSU for in-state tuition ($6,577.00 vs. $5,856.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.3% higher at UT Permian Basin than Sam Houston State University ($18,817.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin than SHSU ($10,370 vs. $13,632)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin are 2.2% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($10,668 vs. $10,908)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin than Sam Houston State University (96% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Texas of the Permian Basin students is 5.6% larger than aid received Sam Houston State University ($11,092 vs. $10,499)

SHSU vs. UT Permian Basin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Sam Houston State University (997) is 32 points higher than at UT Permian Basin (965)
  • Incoming SHSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at UT Permian Basin (20)
  • Accepted freshman UT Permian Basin students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.27) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • UT Permian Basin has a higher acceptance rate (94.7%) than SHSU (84.6%)

SHSU vs. UT Permian Basin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SHSU or UT Permian Basin? 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 UT Permian Basin and SHSU.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than The University of Texas of the Permian Basin (50% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from The University of Texas of the Permian Basin earn on average $3,200 more per year than SHSU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $47,800)
  • The University of Texas of the Permian Basin students graduate with a $7,845 lower median federal student loan debt than SHSU graduates. ($13,655 vs. $21,500)
  • UT Permian Basin graduates are paying $81 less per month on federal student loans than SHSU graduates. ($141 vs. $222)
  • More UT Permian Basin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SHSU students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 57%)

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