The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) vs Sam Houston State University (SHSU)

Envision yourself as a college student, navigating the vibrant campus of either The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) or Sam Houston State University (SHSU). Both institutions offer distinct experiences, catering to diverse student aspirations. UTSA, nestled in the heart of San Antonio, boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a broader range of students into its academic fold. SHSU, situated in the historic town of Huntsville, maintains a slightly lower acceptance rate, ensuring a more selective admissions process. While UTSA's student body reflects a rich tapestry of ethnicities, SHSU's student population leans towards a predominantly White demographic. Delve into the comparison table to uncover further distinctions, such as popular majors, graduation rates, and additional factors that will guide your decision toward the university that best aligns with your academic pursuits and personal preferences.
Sam Houston State University logo

Sam Houston State University

The University of Texas at San Antonio logo

The University of Texas at San Antonio

Overview

Location Huntsville, Texas San Antonio, 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% 78.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 96.6% 90.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $50
SAT range 950 - 1120 1020 - 1220
ACT range 18 - 23 18 - 26
Students submitting SAT score 57.0% 51.0%
Students submitting ACT score 16.0% 11.0%
Total number of applicants 11,556 21,726
Total number of admissions given out 11,161 19,662
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,908 5,512
Yield rate 26.1% 28.0%
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: $25,631

Out of state: $37,928
Average net price $14,287 $11,013
Tuition
In state: $5,856

Out of state: $15,648
In state: $6,237

Out of state: $18,534
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,918

Meal plan: $4,650
Room/dormitory: $6,217

Meal plan: $4,147
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
81.0%
Average amount $8,403
Students receiving federal student loan 52.0%
Average amount $5,618
45.0%
Average amount $5,018
Students taking out private loans 0.0%
Average amount $14,496
3.0%
Average amount $11,519

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 18,288
Men 36.2% Women 63.8%
29,801
Men 47.8% Women 52.2%
Graduate students 3,324
Men 31.7% Women 68.3%
4,933
Men 44.2% Women 55.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 1.4% 1.5%
International students 1.3% 2.8%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant City: Large
Dormitory capacity 3,398 4,395
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Texas Florida California Arkansas Illinois Texas California Colorado Illinois Florida

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Agriculture
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Engineering
Students to faculty ratio 20:1 26:1
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% 51.0%
Dropout rate 16.2% 22.3%
Transferred out 23.6% 23.6%
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
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,168
  • Year 2: $74,786
  • Year 3: $83,652
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,254
  • Year 2: $61,218
  • Year 3: $78,030
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,211
  • Year 2: $60,264
  • Year 3: $73,023
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,590
  • Year 2: $63,180
  • Year 3: $70,727
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,484
  • Year 2: $57,860
  • Year 3: $69,865
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,470
  • Year 2: $64,493
  • Year 3: $69,652
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,474
  • Year 2: $62,734
  • Year 3: $69,012
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,646
  • Year 2: $60,771
  • Year 3: $66,662
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,677
  • Year 2: $59,485
  • Year 3: $66,389
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,900
  • Year 2: $54,671
  • Year 3: $65,990

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