UMHB vs. SHSU

Should I go to University of Mary Hardin Baylor or Sam Houston State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UMHB 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 Mary Hardin Baylor vs. Sam Houston State University comparison
University of Mary Hardin Baylor Sam Houston State University College 3 College 4
University of Mary Hardin Baylor Sam Houston State University
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Overview

 UMHB SHSU
Location Belton, TX Huntsville, TX
Setting Small Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 3,575 21,480
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #746 #778
Religious Affiliation Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umhb.edu shsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMHB SHSU
Tuition (In State) $29,400 $5,856
Tuition (Out of State) $29,400 $15,648
Room & Board $9,900 $10,908
Avg Net Price $31,197 $13,632
Avg Grant Aid $15,574 $10,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 73%

Admission

 UMHB SHSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,001 16,316
Admitted 12,438 13,809
Acceptance Rate 95.7% 84.6%
Enrolled % 6% 24.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.25
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/27 18/24
SAT Range 970/1200 960/1140
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 UMHB SHSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (17%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 UMHB SHSU
Graduation Rate 46% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,200 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,750 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $276 $222

Diversity

 UMHB SHSU
% Men 34% 36%
% Women 66% 64%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 53%
% Black 15% 19%
% Hispanic 20% 20%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 UMHB SHSU
% In-State 95% 98%
% Out-of-State 5% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Sam Houston State University is larger than than UMHB based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 3,575 students)

UMHB vs. SHSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMHB or SHSU?

  • University of Mary Hardin Baylor is 402% more expensive to attend than SHSU for in-state tuition ($29,400.00 vs. $5,856.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 87.9% higher at UMHB than Sam Houston State University ($29,400.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sam Houston State University than UMHB ($13,632 vs. $31,197)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Mary Hardin Baylor are 10.2% lower than costs at Sam Houston State University ($9,900 vs. $10,908)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Mary Hardin Baylor than Sam Houston State University (99% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Mary Hardin Baylor students is 48.3% larger than aid received Sam Houston State University ($15,574 vs. $10,499)

UMHB vs. SHSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Mary Hardin Baylor (1047) is 50 points higher than at SHSU (997)
  • Incoming UMHB students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at SHSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman UMHB students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at SHSU (3.25)
  • UMHB has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than SHSU (84.6%)

UMHB vs. SHSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMHB 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 UMHB.

  • The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than University of Mary Hardin Baylor (50% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Sam Houston State University earn on average $2,600 more per year than UMHB graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $45,200)
  • Sam Houston State University students graduate with a $5,250 lower median federal student loan debt than UMHB graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,750)
  • SHSU graduates are paying $54 less per month on federal student loans than UMHB graduates. ($222 vs. $276)
  • More UMHB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SHSU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 57%)

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