SHSU vs. Wayland Baptist University

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

 SHSU Wayland Baptist University
Location Huntsville, TX Plainview, TX
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 21,480 2,978
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #778 #544
Religious Affiliation - Southern Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website shsu.edu wbu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SHSU Wayland Baptist University
Tuition (In State) $5,856 $20,942
Tuition (Out of State) $15,648 $20,942
Room & Board $10,908 $8,660
Avg Net Price $13,632 $22,663
Avg Grant Aid $10,499 $13,608
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 98%

Admission

 SHSU Wayland Baptist University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,316 1,311
Admitted 13,809 914
Acceptance Rate 84.6% 69.7%
Enrolled % 24.6% 28.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.14
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 16/23
SAT Range 960/1140 900/1090
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 SHSU Wayland Baptist University
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (40%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Education (4%)

Outcomes

 SHSU Wayland Baptist University
Graduation Rate 50% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,800 $44,800
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $19,875
Median Loan Payment $222 $205

Diversity

 SHSU Wayland Baptist University
% Men 36% 47%
% Women 64% 53%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 53% 42%
% Black 19% 17%
% Hispanic 20% 28%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

 SHSU Wayland Baptist University
% In-State 98% 85%
% Out-of-State 1% 11%

Campus

 SHSU Wayland Baptist University
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 Wayland Baptist University based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 2,978 students)

SHSU vs. Wayland Baptist University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHSU or Wayland Baptist University?

  • Wayland Baptist University is 257.6% more expensive to attend than SHSU for in-state tuition ($20,942.00 vs. $5,856.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.8% higher at Wayland Baptist University than Sam Houston State University ($20,942.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sam Houston State University than Wayland Baptist University ($13,632 vs. $22,663)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayland Baptist University are 26% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($8,660 vs. $10,908)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wayland Baptist University than Sam Houston State University (98% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wayland Baptist University students is 29.6% larger than aid received Sam Houston State University ($13,608 vs. $10,499)

SHSU vs. Wayland Baptist University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Sam Houston State University (997) is 86 points higher than at Wayland Baptist University (911)
  • Incoming SHSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Wayland Baptist University (20)
  • Accepted freshman SHSU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.25) than students at Wayland Baptist University (3.14)
  • SHSU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than Wayland Baptist University (69.7%)

SHSU vs. Wayland Baptist University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SHSU or Wayland Baptist University? 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 Wayland Baptist University and SHSU.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than Wayland Baptist University (50% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $3,000 more per year than Wayland Baptist University graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $44,800)
  • Wayland Baptist University students graduate with a $1,625 lower median federal student loan debt than SHSU graduates. ($19,875 vs. $21,500)
  • Wayland Baptist University graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than SHSU graduates. ($205 vs. $222)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wayland Baptist University 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/