Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, Texas · Public · 17,743 undergraduates · shsu.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
94%
of 18,093 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
930 to 1120
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$30,210Est.Estimate
$43,280 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at Sam Houston State University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
94% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$43,280
a year in 2027-28, from a $43,280 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1020
Send your score
About 51% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 940, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
Source: Freshman Steps Checklist | Sam Houston State University · Checked October 17, 2026
Application deadlines
- Aug1Other deadline · August 1, 2027
Who gets in
94%
of applicants were admitted: 16,956 of 18,093 for fall 2025.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 45% of them sent SAT scores and 5.4% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 930 to 1120
Reading and Writing 480 to 580
Math 440 to 550
ACT composite 18 to 25
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 16000.2%
- 1200 to 139912%
- 1000 to 119946%
- 800 to 99938%
- 600 to 7994%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$30,210
a year, in state
$43,280
a year, out of state (tuition $20,820)
- Tuition (in state)$7,750
- Fees$4,290
- Food and housing$12,690
- Books and supplies$1,460
- Transportation and other$4,020
Sam Houston State University published $28,530 in state for 2025-26. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$11,734
- $30,001 to $48,000$11,472
- $48,001 to $75,000$12,286
- $75,001 to $110,000$17,548
- Over $110,000$23,418
Financial aid
62%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$11,647
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
12%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $2,411 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 3/15
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
35 of 35
Earn credit with a score of 3
35 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $780Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | Departmental approval |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | Departmental approval |
| African American Studies | 3 | 3 | HIST 3393 |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | ARTS 1303 |
| Biology | 3 | 8 | BIOL 1406 and 1407 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 4 | MATH 1420 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 8 | MATH 1420 and 1430 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 8 | CHEM 1411 and 1412 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | FOLG 1411 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | FOLG 1411, 1412 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | 14 | FOLG 1411, 1412, 2311, 2312 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLS 2000 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 4 | COSC 1436 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 4 | COSC 1436 |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | Departmental approval |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL 1301 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL 1302 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 4 | BIOL 1401 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | FREN 1411 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | FREN 1411, 1412 |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 14 | FREN 1411, 1412, 2311, 2312 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | GERM 1411 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | GERM 1411, 1412 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 14 | GERM 1411, 1412, 2311, 2312 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GEOG 1300 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | FOLG 1411 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | FOLG 1411, 1412 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | 14 | FOLG 1411, 1412, 2311, 2312 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | FOLG 1411 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | FOLG 1411, 1412 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | 14 | FOLG 1411, 1412, 2311, 2312 |
| Latin | 3 | 4 | FOLG 1411 |
| Latin | 4 | 8 | FOLG 1411, 1412 |
| Latin | 5 | 14 | FOLG 1411, 1412, 2311, 2312 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 2301 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 2302 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 3 | PHYS 1301 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 3 | PHYS 1302 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 4 | PHYS 1422 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 4 | PHYS 1411 |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | 4 | MATH 1410 |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSYC 1301 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | SPAN 1411 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | SPAN 1411, 1412 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 14 | SPAN 1411, 1412, 2311, 2312 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | MATH 1342 |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLS 2305 |
| United States History | 3 | 6 | HIST 1301, 1302 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | HIST 2312 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
56%
Come back for a second year
73%
Typical earnings
$56,877
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Sam Houston State University$55,322
- All colleges$57,826
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 43 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Sam Houston State University. The Sam Houston State University logo is a trademark of the college.