Tarleton vs. TSU

Should I go to Tarleton State University or Texas Southern University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Tarleton or TSU 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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Tarleton State University vs. Texas Southern University comparison
Tarleton State University Texas Southern University College 3 College 4
Tarleton State University Texas Southern University
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Overview

Tarleton TSU
Location Stephenville, TX Houston, TX
Setting Remote Town Large City
Enrollment 14,092 8,632
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #871 #1017
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website tarleton.edu tsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Tarleton TSU
Tuition (In State) $4,416 $7,437
Tuition (Out of State) $14,208 $19,677
Room & Board $10,328 $9,664
Avg Net Price $13,755 $11,826
Avg Grant Aid $8,463 $12,085
% Receiving Grant Aid 79% 99%

Admission

Tarleton TSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,788 8,582
Admitted 5,039 8,307
Acceptance Rate 87.1% 96.8%
Enrolled % 48.6% 28.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.21 3.0
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 15/19
SAT Range 950/1150 820/1000
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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

Tarleton TSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • General Studies (18%)
  • Agriculture (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Tarleton TSU
Graduation Rate 39% 12%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,500 $36,200
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 22%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,750 $29,358
Median Loan Payment $204 $303

Diversity

Tarleton TSU
% Men 36% 35%
% Women 64% 65%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 68% 2%
% Black 8% 80%
% Hispanic 18% 6%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 0% 8%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Tarleton TSU
% In-State 97% 77%
% Out-of-State 3% 22%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Tarleton State University is larger than than TSU based on total student enrollment (14,092 students vs. 8,632 students)

Tarleton vs. TSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Tarleton or TSU?

  • Texas Southern University is 68.4% more expensive to attend than Tarleton for in-state tuition ($7,437.00 vs. $4,416.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38.5% higher at TSU than Tarleton State University ($19,677.00 vs. $14,208.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Texas Southern University than Tarleton ($11,826 vs. $13,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Texas Southern University are 6.9% lower than costs at Tarleton State University ($9,664 vs. $10,328)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Texas Southern University than Tarleton State University (99% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Texas Southern University students is 42.8% larger than aid received Tarleton State University ($12,085 vs. $8,463)

Tarleton vs. TSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Tarleton State University (959) is 142 points higher than at TSU (817)
  • Incoming Tarleton students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at TSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman Tarleton students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.21) than students at TSU (3.0)
  • TSU has a higher acceptance rate (96.8%) than Tarleton (87.1%)

Tarleton vs. TSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Tarleton or TSU? 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 TSU and Tarleton.

  • The graduation rate at Tarleton is higher than Texas Southern University (39% vs. 12%)
  • Graduates from Tarleton State University earn on average $9,300 more per year than TSU graduates after ten years. ($45,500 vs. $36,200)
  • Tarleton State University students graduate with a $9,608 lower median federal student loan debt than TSU graduates. ($19,750 vs. $29,358)
  • Tarleton graduates are paying $99 less per month on federal student loans than TSU graduates. ($204 vs. $303)
  • More Tarleton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TSU students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 22%)

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