A&M Commerce vs. SHSU

Should I go to Texas A&M University Commerce or Sam Houston State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if A&M Commerce 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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Texas A&M University Commerce vs. Sam Houston State University comparison
Texas A&M University Commerce Sam Houston State University College 3 College 4
Texas A&M University Commerce Sam Houston State University
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Overview

 A&M Commerce SHSU
Location Commerce, TX Huntsville, TX
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 12,013 21,403
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #909 #747
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website tamu-commerce.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 A&M Commerce SHSU
Tuition (In State) $4,790 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $17,390 $15,648
Room & Board $9,808 $11,720
Avg Net Price $11,902 $14,556
Avg Grant Aid $11,573 $9,941
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 65%

Admission

 A&M Commerce SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,231 17,582
Admitted 7,621 15,014
Acceptance Rate 92.6% 85.4%
Enrolled % 15.4% 24%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.25
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 19/25
SAT Range 940/1170 940/1140
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 15, 2026 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 A&M Commerce SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • General Studies (43%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Agriculture (4%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 A&M Commerce SHSU
Graduation Rate 37% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,200 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,514 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $212 $222

Diversity

 A&M Commerce SHSU
% Men 11% 5%
% Women 20% 10%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 50% 53%
% Black 21% 19%
% Hispanic 18% 20%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 A&M Commerce SHSU
% In-State 96% 99%
% Out-of-State 2% 1%

Campus

 A&M Commerce SHSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Sam Houston State University is larger than than A&M Commerce based on total student enrollment (21,403 students vs. 12,013 students)

A&M Commerce vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, A&M Commerce or SHSU?

  • Sam Houston State University is 22.3% more expensive to attend than A&M Commerce for in-state tuition ($5,856.00 vs. $4,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.1% higher at A&M Commerce than Sam Houston State University ($17,390.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Texas A&M University Commerce than SHSU ($11,902 vs. $14,556)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Texas A&M University Commerce are 19.5% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($9,808 vs. $11,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Texas A&M University Commerce than Sam Houston State University (94% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Texas A&M University Commerce students is 16.4% larger than aid received Sam Houston State University ($11,573 vs. $9,941)

A&M Commerce vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Sam Houston State University (997) is 17 points higher than at A&M Commerce (980)
  • Incoming SHSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at A&M Commerce (21)
  • Accepted freshman A&M Commerce students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • A&M Commerce has a higher acceptance rate (92.6%) than SHSU (85.4%)

A&M Commerce vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, A&M Commerce 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 A&M Commerce.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than Texas A&M University Commerce (50% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $6,600 more per year than A&M Commerce graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $41,200)
  • Texas A&M University Commerce students graduate with a $986 lower median federal student loan debt than SHSU graduates. ($20,514 vs. $21,500)
  • A&M Commerce graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than SHSU graduates. ($212 vs. $222)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former A&M Commerce students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 46%)

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