UHCL vs. SHSU

Deciding between University of Houston Clear Lake and Sam Houston State University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Sam Houston State University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • UHCL Houston, TX
  • SHSU Huntsville, TX
  • Setting
  • UHCL Large Suburban
  • SHSU Remote Town
  • Total enrollment
  • UHCL 8,137
  • SHSU 21,039
  • Type
  • UHCL Public 4 Year
  • SHSU Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UHCL
  • SHSU #794
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UHCL -
  • SHSU -
  • Status
  • UHCL Non-profit
  • SHSU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UHCL
  • SHSU

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UHCL $7,770
  • SHSU $9,228
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UHCL $21,114
  • SHSU $19,068
  • Room & Board
  • UHCL $12,642
  • SHSU $11,720
  • Average Net Price
  • UHCL $14,059
  • SHSU $14,737
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UHCL $12,630
  • SHSU $10,669
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UHCL 76%
  • SHSU 66%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UHCL 2,352
  • SHSU 17,179
  • Admitted
  • UHCL 2,129
  • SHSU 15,506
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UHCL 90.5%
  • SHSU 90.3%
  • Enrolled
  • UHCL 22.2%
  • SHSU 21.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UHCL 1060
  • SHSU 1030
  • Typical ACT score
  • UHCL 22
  • SHSU 20
  • Average High School GPA
  • UHCL 3.39
  • SHSU 3.25
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UHCL B+
  • SHSU B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • UHCL Very Easy
  • SHSU Very Easy
  • Applicant Competition
  • UHCL
  • SHSU
  • ACT Range
  • UHCL 20/25
  • SHSU 17/24
  • SAT Range
  • UHCL 970/1150
  • SHSU 930/1120
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UHCL Test optional
  • SHSU Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UHCL Jun 1, 2027
  • SHSU Aug 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UHCL 15:1
  • SHSU 19:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UHCL
  • SHSU
    • Business (27%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
    • General Studies (12%)
    • Psychology (6%)
    • Communication (5%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UHCL -
  • SHSU 50%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UHCL $53,700
  • SHSU $47,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UHCL 56%
  • SHSU 57%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UHCL $17,150
  • SHSU $21,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UHCL $177
  • SHSU $222

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UHCL 38%
  • SHSU 37%
  • % Women
  • UHCL 62%
  • SHSU 63%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UHCL High
  • SHSU High
  • HBCU
  • UHCL No
  • SHSU No
  • % White
  • UHCL 43%
  • SHSU 53%
  • % Asian
  • UHCL 6%
  • SHSU 1%
  • % Black
  • UHCL 9%
  • SHSU 19%
  • % Hispanic
  • UHCL 36%
  • SHSU 20%
  • % Native American
  • UHCL 0%
  • SHSU 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UHCL 0%
  • SHSU 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UHCL 3%
  • SHSU 3%
  • % International
  • UHCL 2%
  • SHSU 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UHCL 1%
  • SHSU 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UHCL 98%
  • SHSU 98%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UHCL 1%
  • SHSU 1%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • UHCL Yes
  • SHSU Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • UHCL
  • SHSU No
  • Meal Plan
  • UHCL Yes
  • SHSU Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • UHCL No
  • SHSU Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • UHCL
  • SHSU No

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Houston Clear Lake in Houston, TX with Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sam Houston State University is larger than UHCL based on total student enrollment (21,039 students vs. 8,137 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Houston Clear Lake is located in Houston, TX (Large Suburban setting); Sam Houston State University is in Huntsville, TX (Remote Town setting).
  • University of Houston Clear Lake is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Sam Houston State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Houston Clear Lake 15:1; Sam Houston State University 19:1.

UHCL vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UHCL or SHSU? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Houston Clear Lake than SHSU ($14,059 vs. $14,737).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sam Houston State University are 7.3% lower than at University of Houston Clear Lake ($11,720 vs. $12,642).
  • Sam Houston State University is 18.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than UHCL (about $1,458 more per year; $9,228.00 vs. $7,770.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 10.7% higher at UHCL than at Sam Houston State University (about $2,046 more per year; $21,114.00 vs. $19,068.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Houston Clear Lake than at Sam Houston State University (76% vs. 66%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Houston Clear Lake students is 18.4% larger than aid received by Sam Houston State University students ($12,630 vs. $10,669).

UHCL vs. SHSU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UHCL or SHSU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SHSU and UHCL.

  • The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at University of Houston Clear Lake (1060) is 30 points higher than at SHSU (1030).
  • Incoming UHCL students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate) (22 vs. 20 at SHSU).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: University of Houston Clear Lake 970/1150; Sam Houston State University 930/1120.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: University of Houston Clear Lake 20/25; Sam Houston State University 17/24.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UHCL - Test optional; SHSU - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UHCL Jun 1, 2027; SHSU Aug 1, 2027.
  • Enrolled freshman UHCL students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at SHSU (3.25).
  • UHCL has a higher acceptance rate (90.5%) than SHSU (90.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 22.2% at UHCL vs. 21.1% at SHSU.

UHCL vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UHCL and SHSU? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Sam Houston State University's six-year graduation rate is 50%. Comparable graduation rate data is not available for UHCL.
  • Graduates from University of Houston Clear Lake earn a median of about $5,900 more per year than SHSU graduates about ten years after starting college ($53,700 vs. $47,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Houston Clear Lake graduates have a $4,350 lower median loan debt than SHSU graduates ($17,150 vs. $21,500).
  • Among borrowers, UHCL graduates have an estimated $45 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SHSU graduates ($177 vs. $222).
  • More SHSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UHCL students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 56%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.