UH vs. Mason

Should I go to University of Houston or George Mason University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UH or Mason 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 vs. George Mason University comparison
University of Houston George Mason University College 3 College 4
University of Houston George Mason University
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Overview

 UH Mason
Location Houston, TX Fairfax, VA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 46,700 39,049
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #452 #228
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uh.edu gmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UH Mason
Tuition (In State) $8,685 $9,795
Tuition (Out of State) $20,877 $35,377
Room & Board $10,418 $13,120
Avg Net Price $14,056 $18,479
Avg Grant Aid $11,457 $10,760
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 74%

Admission

 UH Mason
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 29,783 20,001
Admitted 19,728 18,001
Acceptance Rate 66.2% 90%
Enrolled % 28.2% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 25/31
SAT Range 1160/1330 1140/1350
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 May 31, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 UH Mason
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 UH Mason
Graduation Rate 46% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,000 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,750 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $204 $204

Diversity

 UH Mason
% Men 48% 48%
% Women 52% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 26% 43%
% Black 10% 11%
% Hispanic 32% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 5% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

 UH Mason
% In-State 93% 77%
% Out-of-State 3% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Houston is larger than than Mason based on total student enrollment (46,700 students vs. 39,049 students)

UH vs. Mason Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UH or Mason?

  • George Mason University is 12.8% more expensive to attend than UH for in-state tuition ($9,795.00 vs. $8,685.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 69.5% higher at Mason than University of Houston ($35,377.00 vs. $20,877.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Houston than Mason ($14,056 vs. $18,479)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Houston are 25.9% lower than costs at George Mason University ($10,418 vs. $13,120)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Houston than George Mason University (75% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Houston students is 6.5% larger than aid received George Mason University ($11,457 vs. $10,760)

UH vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Houston (1154) is 1 points higher than at Mason (1153)
  • Incoming UH students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at Mason (26)
  • Accepted freshman Mason students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at UH (3.46)
  • Mason has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than UH (66.2%)

UH vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UH or Mason? 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 Mason and UH.

  • The graduation rate at Mason is higher than University of Houston (64% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from George Mason University earn on average $2,900 more per year than UH graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $59,000)
  • George Mason University and UH graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($19,750 vs. $19,750)
  • George Mason University and UH graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($204 vs. $204)
  • More Mason graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UH students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 61%)

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