UALR vs. SHSU

Should I go to University of Arkansas at Little Rock or Sam Houston State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UALR 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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University of Arkansas at Little Rock vs. Sam Houston State University comparison
University of Arkansas at Little Rock Sam Houston State University College 3 College 4
University of Arkansas at Little Rock Sam Houston State University
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Overview

UALR SHSU
Location Little Rock, AR Huntsville, TX
Setting Midsize City Remote Town
Enrollment 8,197 21,480
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #686 #778
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ualr.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UALR SHSU
Tuition (In State) $5,729 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $16,320 $15,648
Room & Board $9,162 $10,908
Avg Net Price $11,173 $13,632
Avg Grant Aid $10,494 $10,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 73%

Admission

UALR SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,568 16,316
Admitted 2,193 13,809
Acceptance Rate 61.5% 84.6%
Enrolled % 25% 24.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.25
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 18/24
SAT Range 970/1220 960/1140
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 17, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

UALR SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (6%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

UALR SHSU
Graduation Rate 21% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,000 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $211 $222

Diversity

UALR SHSU
% Men 39% 36%
% Women 61% 64%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 52% 53%
% Black 27% 19%
% Hispanic 7% 20%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

UALR SHSU
% In-State 90% 98%
% Out-of-State 10% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Sam Houston State University is larger than than UALR based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 8,197 students)

UALR vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UALR or SHSU?

  • Sam Houston State University is 2.2% more expensive to attend than UALR for in-state tuition ($5,856.00 vs. $5,729.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.3% higher at UALR than Sam Houston State University ($16,320.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Arkansas at Little Rock than SHSU ($11,173 vs. $13,632)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas at Little Rock are 19.1% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($9,162 vs. $10,908)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Arkansas at Little Rock than Sam Houston State University (92% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sam Houston State University students is 0% larger than aid received University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($10,499 vs. $10,494)

UALR vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Sam Houston State University (997) is 7 points higher than at UALR (990)
  • Incoming SHSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at UALR (21)
  • Accepted freshman UALR students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • SHSU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than UALR (61.5%)

UALR vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UALR 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 UALR.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (50% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $9,800 more per year than UALR graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $38,000)
  • University of Arkansas at Little Rock students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than SHSU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $21,500)
  • UALR graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than SHSU graduates. ($211 vs. $222)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UALR students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 51%)

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