Sam Houston State University

www.shsu.edu

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2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$5,856

2023 Average Net Price

$14,556

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

85.4%

17,582 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

21,403

73.1% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

55.1%

1,531 Graduates

About

Sam Houston State University is a higher education institution located in Walker County, TX. In 2023, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Sam Houston State University were Criminal Justice - Safety Studies (815 degrees awarded), Teacher Education (303 degrees), and General Psychology (263 degrees).

In 2023, 5,366 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Sam Houston State University. 67.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 32.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (2,713 degrees), 1.91 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,421 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Sam Houston State University is $5,856, which is $−25,147 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Sam Houston State University was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 4,674 total borrowers.

Doctoral Universities: Moderate Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at Sam Houston State University is $5,856, which is $25,148 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $14,556.

In 2023, 69% of undergraduate students attending Sam Houston State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 46% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$5,856

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at Sam Houston State University was $5,856. The cost of tuition at Sam Houston State University is $−25,148 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Sam Houston State University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$14,556

2023 Value

6.78%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 Sam Houston State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $14,556. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of Sam Houston State University grew by 6.78%.

This chart compares the average net price of Sam Houston State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$10,908

Room and Board

$1,380

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Sam Houston State University was of $10,908 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 4.82% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,380. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Sam Houston State University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

69%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

46%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

69% of undergraduate students at Sam Houston State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a decline of 10.4% with respect to 2022, when 77% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Sam Houston State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Sam Houston State University was 0%, which represents 0 out of the 4674 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Sam Houston State University received 17,582 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 7.76% annual growth. Out of those 17,582 applicants, 15,014 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 85.4% acceptance rate.

There were 21,403 students enrolled at Sam Houston State University in 2023. 48% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Sam Houston State University has an overall enrollment yield of 24%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

85.4%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

15,014

Accepted Out of 17,582

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Sam Houston State University was 85.4% (15,014 admissions from 17,582 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 84.6%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants grew by 7.76%, while admissions grew by 8.73%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Sam Houston State University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

48%

Submission Percentage (2023)

1,713

Scores Submitted (2023)

48% of enrolled first-time students at Sam Houston State University in 2023 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Sam Houston State University had a total enrollment of 21,403 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at Sam Houston State University is 15,644 students and the part-time enrollment is 5,759. This means that 73.1% of students enrolled at Sam Houston State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Sam Houston State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 46.2% White, 27.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Black or African American, 3.26% Two or More Races, 2.92% Asian, 0.682% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0981% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Sam Houston State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (28.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino Female (18.2%) and White Male (17.6%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (27.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino Female (15.5%) and White Male (15%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

73.1%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Sam Houston State University in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 21,403 students. The full-time enrollment at Sam Houston State University is 15,644 and the part-time enrollment is 5,759. This means that 73.1% of students enrolled at Sam Houston State University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.9% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Sam Houston State University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

75%

2023 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Sam Houston State University was 75%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), Sam Houston State University had a retention rate lower than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Sam Houston State University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
9,886 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
5,946 enrolled students
Black or African American
3,544 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Sam Houston State University is 46.2% White, 27.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Black or African American, 3.26% Two or More Races, 2.92% Asian, 0.682% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0981% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 46.5% White, 15.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.78% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 255 students (1.19%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 1,892 more women than men received degrees from Sam Houston State University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Sam Houston State University is white (2,713 degrees awarded). There were 1.91 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,421 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Sam Houston State University is Criminal Justice - Safety Studies (815 degrees awarded), followed by Teacher Education (303 degrees) and General Psychology (263 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Sam Houston State University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Protective Services (1,112 degrees awarded), Library Science (44 degrees), and Agriculture (231 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Police officers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Sam Houston State University are Police officers (140,221 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (125,414 people), Other managers (120,106 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (83,855 people), and Secondary school teachers (68,306 people).

The most specialized majors at Sam Houston State University in 2023 are Protective Services (1,112 degrees awarded), Library Science (44 degrees), Agriculture (231 degrees), History (114 degrees), and Communication Technologies (53 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Diagnostic medical sonographers

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Sam Houston State University are Diagnostic medical sonographers, Surgeons, Physicians, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, and Photographic process workers & processing machine operators

The most specialized majors at Sam Houston State University are Protective Services (1,112 degrees awarded), Library Science (44 degrees), Agriculture (231 degrees), History (114 degrees), and Communication Technologies (53 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Justice, public order, & safety activities

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Sam Houston State University are Justice, public order, & safety activities (345,458 people), Elementary & secondary schools (274,487 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (139,334 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (109,954 people), and Legal services (109,680 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Sam Houston State University.

Most Common (2023)

Criminal Justice - Safety Studies
815 degrees awarded
Teacher Education
303 degrees awarded
General Psychology
263 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Sam Houston State University was Criminal Justice - Safety Studies with 815 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Sam Houston State University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,737

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

3,629

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 1,737 degrees were awarded to men at Sam Houston State University, which is 0.479 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (3,629).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Sam Houston State University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 304 degrees were awarded to men at Sam Houston State University in Criminal Justice - Safety Studies, which is 0.538 times less than the 565 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 565 degrees were awarded to men at Sam Houston State University in Criminal Justice - Safety Studies, which is 1.86 times more than the 304 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

36%

100% Completion Time

57%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 36% of students graduating from Sam Houston State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 57% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 59% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Hispanic or Latino Female

Highest Graduation Rate (63.9%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Sam Houston State University is Female and Hispanic or Latino (63.9% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0.0653% of graduates (1 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
2,713 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,421 degrees awarded
Black or African American
705 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Sam Houston State University is white (2,713 degrees awarded). There were 1.91 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,421 degrees).

1.49% of degree recipients (80 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Female
1,820 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
996 degrees awarded
White Male
893 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Sam Houston State University is white female (1,820 degrees awarded). There were 1.83 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino female (996 degrees).

Operations

Sam Houston State University has an endowment valued at nearly $164M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 23.1M (14.1%) compared to the 4.37% average return (19M on 434M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2023, Sam Houston State University had a total salary expenditure of 475M. Sam Houston State University employs 260 Lecturers, 184 Associate professors and 181 Professors. Most academics at Sam Houston State University are Female Lecturer (168), Male Professor (119), and Male Associate professor (98).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Sam Houston State University are: Office and Administrative Support, with 419 employees, Business and Financial Operations, with 279 employees, and Service with 164 employees.

Endowment

$164M

2023 Endowment

9.74%

growth from 2022

Sam Houston State University has an endowment valued at about $164M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of Sam Houston State University grew 9.74% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $270M lower than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Sam Houston State University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Moderate Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$14.1M - Federal
$23.5M - State
$2.89M - Local

As of 2023, Sam Houston State University received $14.1M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $23.5M from state grants and contracts, and $2.89M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$183M

2023 Salaries

4.94%

growth from 2022

In 2023, Sam Houston State University paid a median of $183M in salaries, which represents 38.6% of their overall expenditure ($475M) and a 4.94% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 5.09% growth between 2021 and 2022, and a 2.73% growth between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 246M (41.5% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$60M

Instructional Salaries

802

Number of Employees

In 2023, Sam Houston State University paid a total of $60M to 802 employees working as instructors, which represents 32.8% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $6.13M (2.35%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Lecturer

Most Common Instructor

260 Employees

Office and Administrative Support

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

419 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at Sam Houston State University were Lecturer with 260 employees, Associate professor with 184 employees, and Professor with 181 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Sam Houston State University were Office and Administrative Support with 419 employees, Business and Financial Operations with 279 employees, and Service with 164 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Female Lecturer
Male Professor
Male Associate professor

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Sam Houston State University was Female Lecturer with 168 employees, Male Professor with 119 employees, and Male Associate professor with 98 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Sam Houston State University.

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