University of West Alabama vs. Henderson State University

Should I go to University of West Alabama or Henderson State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of West Alabama or Henderson State University 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 West Alabama vs. Henderson State University comparison
University of West Alabama Henderson State University College 3 College 4
Henderson State University
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Overview

University of West Alabama Henderson State University
Location Livingston, AL Arkadelphia, AR
Setting Remote Rural Distant Town
Enrollment 5,860 2,519
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1007 #976
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uwa.edu hsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of West Alabama Henderson State University
Tuition (In State) $9,100 $5,880
Tuition (Out of State) $18,200 $8,088
Room & Board $7,820 $9,558
Avg Net Price $13,786 $17,656
Avg Grant Aid $9,291 $9,580
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 90%

Admission

University of West Alabama Henderson State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,131 2,345
Admitted 2,156 1,657
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 70.7%
Enrolled % 14.4% 24.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.16 3.23
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 17/21 16/21
SAT Range 880/980 903/1073
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 10, 2025 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

University of West Alabama Henderson State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (27%)
  • Health Professions (24%)
  • Business (14%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

University of West Alabama Henderson State University
Graduation Rate 28% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,500 $38,400
Making Student Loan Payments 36% 48%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,489 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $273 $201

Diversity

University of West Alabama Henderson State University
% Men 25% 40%
% Women 75% 60%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 45% 66%
% Black 40% 24%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

University of West Alabama Henderson State University
% In-State 81% 81%
% Out-of-State 13% 19%

Campus

University of West Alabama Henderson State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of West Alabama is larger than than Henderson State University based on total student enrollment (5,860 students vs. 2,519 students)

University of West Alabama vs. Henderson State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of West Alabama or Henderson State University?

  • University of West Alabama is 54.8% more expensive to attend than Henderson State University for in-state tuition ($9,100.00 vs. $5,880.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 125% higher at University of West Alabama than Henderson State University ($18,200.00 vs. $8,088.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of West Alabama than Henderson State University ($13,786 vs. $17,656)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of West Alabama are 22.2% lower than costs at Henderson State University ($7,820 vs. $9,558)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Henderson State University than University of West Alabama (90% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Henderson State University students is 3.1% larger than aid received University of West Alabama ($9,580 vs. $9,291)

University of West Alabama vs. Henderson State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University of West Alabama or Henderson State University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Henderson State University or University of West Alabama .

  • The average SAT score at Henderson State University (988) is 58 points higher than at University of West Alabama (930)
  • Incoming Henderson State University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at University of West Alabama (20)
  • Accepted freshman Henderson State University students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.23) than students at University of West Alabama (3.16)
  • Henderson State University has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than University of West Alabama (68.9%)

University of West Alabama vs. Henderson State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of West Alabama or Henderson State University? 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 Henderson State University and University of West Alabama.

  • The graduation rate at Henderson State University is higher than University of West Alabama (31% vs. 28%)
  • Graduates from University of West Alabama earn on average $100 more per year than Henderson State University graduates after ten years. ($38,500 vs. $38,400)
  • Henderson State University students graduate with a $6,989 lower median federal student loan debt than University of West Alabama graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,489)
  • Henderson State University graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than University of West Alabama graduates. ($201 vs. $273)
  • More Henderson State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of West Alabama students, three years after graduation. (48% vs. 36%)

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