UHCL vs. RU

Should I go to University of Houston Clear Lake or Radford University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UHCL or RU 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 Houston Clear Lake vs. Radford University comparison
University of Houston Clear Lake Radford University College 3 College 4
Radford University
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Overview

UHCL RU
Location Houston, TX Radford, VA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 8,562 7,718
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #566
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uhcl.edu radford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UHCL RU
Tuition (In State) $6,024 $8,156
Tuition (Out of State) $19,320 $20,246
Room & Board $9,440 $10,567
Avg Net Price $17,871 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $16,973 $9,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 96%

Admission

UHCL RU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,985 11,442
Admitted 1,377 10,680
Acceptance Rate 69.4% 93.3%
Enrolled % 25.6% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/23 19/23
SAT Range 990/1173 960/1160
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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

UHCL RU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

UHCL RU
Graduation Rate - 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,150 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $177 $237

Diversity

UHCL RU
% Men 37% 33%
% Women 63% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 43% 71%
% Black 9% 13%
% Hispanic 36% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

UHCL RU
% In-State 100% 89%
% Out-of-State 0% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Houston Clear Lake is larger than than RU based on total student enrollment (8,562 students vs. 7,718 students)

UHCL vs. RU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UHCL or RU?

  • Radford University is 35.4% more expensive to attend than UHCL for in-state tuition ($8,156.00 vs. $6,024.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.8% higher at RU than University of Houston Clear Lake ($20,246.00 vs. $19,320.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Radford University than UHCL ($17,105 vs. $17,871)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Houston Clear Lake are 11.9% lower than costs at Radford University ($9,440 vs. $10,567)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Radford University than University of Houston Clear Lake (96% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Houston Clear Lake students is 74.4% larger than aid received Radford University ($16,973 vs. $9,733)

UHCL vs. RU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman UHCL students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at RU (3.31)
  • RU has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than UHCL (69.4%)

UHCL vs. RU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UHCL or RU? 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 RU and UHCL.

  • Graduates from University of Houston Clear Lake earn on average $6,300 more per year than RU graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $47,400)
  • University of Houston Clear Lake students graduate with a $5,850 lower median federal student loan debt than RU graduates. ($17,150 vs. $23,000)
  • UHCL graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than RU graduates. ($177 vs. $237)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UHCL students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 56%)

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