UH vs. SU

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

 UH SU
Location Houston, TX Georgetown, TX
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 46,676 1,457
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #468 #189
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uh.edu southwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UH SU
Tuition (In State) $8,685 $50,558
Tuition (Out of State) $21,165 $50,558
Room & Board $10,830 $13,628
Avg Net Price $13,738 $30,687
Avg Grant Aid $11,551 $32,956
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 99%

Admission

 UH SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,327 6,585
Admitted 21,087 2,573
Acceptance Rate 69.5% 39.1%
Enrolled % 26.8% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 23/28 24/30
SAT Range 1150/1330 1170/1340
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, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 UH SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

 UH SU
Graduation Rate 46% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,000 $57,400
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,750 $26,893
Median Loan Payment $204 $278

Diversity

 UH SU
% Men 9% 0%
% Women 10% 0%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 26% 62%
% Black 10% 5%
% Hispanic 32% 22%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 5% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 UH SU
% In-State 93% 89%
% Out-of-State 3% 9%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Houston is larger than than SU based on total student enrollment (46,676 students vs. 1,457 students)

UH vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UH or SU?

  • Southwestern University is 482.1% more expensive to attend than UH for in-state tuition ($50,558.00 vs. $8,685.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 138.9% higher at SU than University of Houston ($50,558.00 vs. $21,165.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Houston than SU ($13,738 vs. $30,687)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Houston are 25.8% lower than costs at Southwestern University ($10,830 vs. $13,628)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southwestern University than University of Houston (99% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern University students is 185.3% larger than aid received University of Houston ($32,956 vs. $11,551)

UH vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southwestern University (1168) is 14 points higher than at UH (1154)
  • Incoming UH students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at SU (26)
  • Accepted freshman SU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at UH (3.46)
  • UH has a higher acceptance rate (69.5%) than SU (39.1%)

UH vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at SU is higher than University of Houston (73% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from University of Houston earn on average $1,600 more per year than SU graduates after ten years. ($59,000 vs. $57,400)
  • University of Houston students graduate with a $7,143 lower median federal student loan debt than SU graduates. ($19,750 vs. $26,893)
  • UH graduates are paying $74 less per month on federal student loans than SU graduates. ($204 vs. $278)
  • More SU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UH students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 61%)

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