University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) vs Sam Houston State University (SHSU)

When it comes to higher education in Texas, University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) and Sam Houston State University (SHSU) stand out as two distinct institutions with unique offerings. UHD, located in the heart of Houston, boasts an acceptance rate of 88%, making it a more accessible option for students. SHSU, situated in Huntsville, has a lower acceptance rate of 69%, indicating a more selective admissions process. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs, with UHD specializing in business, education, and health professions, while SHSU excels in business, education, and liberal arts. UHD's student body is predominantly Hispanic, reflecting the city's demographics, while SHSU's student population is more evenly distributed across various ethnicities. With UHD's graduation rate at 38% and SHSU's at 59%, prospective students should carefully consider their academic goals and preferences to determine the best fit for their educational journey. Explore the
Sam Houston State University logo

Sam Houston State University

University of Houston-Downtown logo

University of Houston-Downtown

Overview

Location Huntsville, Texas Houston, Texas
Campus setting Town: Distant City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 73.0% 64.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 96.6% 94.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $35
SAT range 950 - 1120 N/A
ACT range 18 - 23 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 57.0%
Students submitting ACT score 16.0%
Total number of applicants 11,556 6,148
Total number of admissions given out 11,161 5,831
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,908 1,360
Yield rate 26.1% 23.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $24,612

Out of state: $34,404
In state: $25,782

Out of state: $35,598
Average net price $14,287 $13,460
Tuition
In state: $5,856

Out of state: $15,648
In state: $6,252

Out of state: $16,068
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,918

Meal plan: $4,650
Available payment plans
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

70.0%
Average amount $9,492
88.0%
Average amount $7,490
Students receiving federal student loan 52.0%
Average amount $5,618
14.0%
Average amount $4,717
Students taking out private loans 0.0%
Average amount $14,496
1.0%
Average amount $16,077

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 18,288
Men 36.2% Women 63.8%
13,612
Men 36.4% Women 63.6%
Graduate students 3,324
Men 31.7% Women 68.3%
1,465
Men 39.2% Women 60.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 1.4% 0.6%
International students 1.3% 5.4%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant City: Large
Dormitory capacity 3,398 N/A
First year students are required to live on campus? No N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Texas Florida California Arkansas Illinois Texas Georgia Iowa Louisiana Michigan

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Agriculture
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Business
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Health Professions
  • Communication and Journalism
Students to faculty ratio 20:1 19:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 57.3% 30.2%
Dropout rate 16.2% 22.4%
Transferred out 23.6% 39.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,554
  • Year 2: $68,858
  • Year 3: $76,776
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,691
  • Year 2: $74,953
  • Year 3: $76,058
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,097
  • Year 2: $69,740
  • Year 3: $73,214
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,694
  • Year 2: $66,049
  • Year 3: $72,403
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,377
  • Year 2: $56,415
  • Year 3: $67,947
Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,438
  • Year 2: $60,128
  • Year 3: $67,313
Music (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,381
  • Year 2: $57,705
  • Year 3: $65,080
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,710
  • Year 2: $68,666
  • Year 3: $62,801
Agricultural Mechanization (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,352
  • Year 2: $49,436
  • Year 3: $59,631
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,213
  • Year 2: $56,579
  • Year 3: $57,976
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,980
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $78,852
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,187
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $76,489
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,158
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $73,620
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,110
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $63,411
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,074
  • Year 2: $58,673
  • Year 3: $62,848
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,458
  • Year 2: $64,990
  • Year 3: $61,484
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,605
  • Year 2: $50,022
  • Year 3: $55,488
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,118
  • Year 2: $50,082
  • Year 3: $53,629
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,554
  • Year 2: $41,193
  • Year 3: $52,508
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,661
  • Year 2: $44,064
  • Year 3: $52,377

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