UAPB vs. SHSU

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

 UAPB SHSU
Location Pine Bluff, AR Huntsville, TX
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 2,387 21,480
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #987 #778
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uapb.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UAPB SHSU
Tuition (In State) $5,640 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $12,810 $15,648
Room & Board $8,866 $10,908
Avg Net Price $9,959 $13,632
Avg Grant Aid $13,469 $10,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 73%

Admission

 UAPB SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,183 16,316
Admitted 2,900 13,809
Acceptance Rate 69.3% 84.6%
Enrolled % 19.8% 24.6%
Avg High School GPA 2.9 3.25
Typical High School Grades B- B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/18 18/24
SAT Range 805/1045 960/1140
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 UAPB SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Work and Family Studies (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 UAPB SHSU
Graduation Rate 23% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $30,200 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,748 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $276 $222

Diversity

 UAPB SHSU
% Men 44% 36%
% Women 56% 64%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 4% 53%
% Black 92% 19%
% Hispanic 1% 20%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 UAPB SHSU
% In-State 59% 98%
% Out-of-State 38% 1%

Campus

 UAPB 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

  • Sam Houston State University is larger than than UAPB based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 2,387 students)

UAPB vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UAPB or SHSU?

  • Sam Houston State University is 3.8% more expensive to attend than UAPB for in-state tuition ($5,856.00 vs. $5,640.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.2% higher at SHSU than University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff ($15,648.00 vs. $12,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff than SHSU ($9,959 vs. $13,632)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff are 23% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($8,866 vs. $10,908)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff than Sam Houston State University (100% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff students is 28.3% larger than aid received Sam Houston State University ($13,469 vs. $10,499)

UAPB vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Sam Houston State University (997) is 126 points higher than at UAPB (871)
  • Incoming SHSU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at UAPB (18)
  • Accepted freshman SHSU students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.25) than students at UAPB (2.9)
  • SHSU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than UAPB (69.3%)

UAPB vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UAPB 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 UAPB.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (50% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $17,600 more per year than UAPB graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $30,200)
  • Sam Houston State University students graduate with a $5,248 lower median federal student loan debt than UAPB graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,748)
  • SHSU graduates are paying $54 less per month on federal student loans than UAPB graduates. ($222 vs. $276)
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UAPB students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 30%)

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