San Francisco State vs. SHSU

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

San Francisco State SHSU
Location San Francisco, CA Huntsville, TX
Setting Large City Remote Town
Enrollment 25,282 21,480
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #789 #778
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sfsu.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Francisco State SHSU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $15,648
Room & Board $17,955 $10,908
Avg Net Price $13,267 $13,632
Avg Grant Aid $9,830 $10,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 73%

Admission

San Francisco State SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 29,932 16,316
Admitted 28,195 13,809
Acceptance Rate 94.2% 84.6%
Enrolled % 11.8% 24.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.25
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23 18/24
SAT Range 930/1130 960/1140
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

San Francisco State SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

San Francisco State SHSU
Graduation Rate 46% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,600 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,250 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $178 $222

Diversity

San Francisco State SHSU
% Men 43% 36%
% Women 57% 64%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 21% 53%
% Black 5% 19%
% Hispanic 29% 20%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

San Francisco State SHSU
% In-State 96% 98%
% Out-of-State 1% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • San Francisco State University is larger than than SHSU based on total student enrollment (25,282 students vs. 21,480 students)

San Francisco State vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Francisco State or SHSU?

  • Sam Houston State University is 2% more expensive to attend than San Francisco State for in-state tuition ($5,856.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.6% higher at San Francisco State than Sam Houston State University ($17,622.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Francisco State University than SHSU ($13,267 vs. $13,632)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sam Houston State University are 64.6% lower than costs at San Francisco State University ($10,908 vs. $17,955)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Sam Houston State University than San Francisco State University (73% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sam Houston State University students is 6.8% larger than aid received San Francisco State University ($10,499 vs. $9,830)

San Francisco State vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Sam Houston State University (997) is 18 points higher than at San Francisco State (979)
  • Incoming SHSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at San Francisco State (21)
  • Accepted freshman San Francisco State students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • San Francisco State has a higher acceptance rate (94.2%) than SHSU (84.6%)

San Francisco State vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, San Francisco State or SHSU? 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 SHSU and San Francisco State.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than San Francisco State University (50% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from San Francisco State University earn on average $4,800 more per year than SHSU graduates after ten years. ($52,600 vs. $47,800)
  • San Francisco State University students graduate with a $4,250 lower median federal student loan debt than SHSU graduates. ($17,250 vs. $21,500)
  • San Francisco State graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than SHSU graduates. ($178 vs. $222)
  • More San Francisco State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SHSU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 57%)

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