Match #1
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX
Profile closeness89/100
Admit rate89%
- 36,177 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 55%, close to 56%
- Acceptance rate 89%, close to 90%
The colleges most similar to Sam Houston State University are Texas State University, Tarleton State University, and Stephen F Austin State University. Sam Houston State University admits 90% of applicants and has an average net price of $14,788 a year; 5 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 4 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with Sam Houston State University. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to Sam Houston State University
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
Tarleton State University
Stephenville, TX
Profile closeness85/100
Admit rate90%
- 12,673 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Graduation rate 49%, close to 56%
- Enrollment 12,673 students, close to 17,743
Match #3
Stephen F Austin State University
Nacogdoches, TX
Profile closeness84/100
Admit rate94%
- 8,728 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Graduation rate 55%, close to 56%
- Acceptance rate 94%, close to 90%
Match #4
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg, TX
Profile closeness83/100
Admit rate94%
- 28,666 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 55%, close to 56%
- Acceptance rate 94%, close to 90%
Match #5
The University of Texas at San Antonio
San Antonio, TX
Profile closeness82/100
Admit rate87%
- 30,580 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 52%, close to 56%
- Acceptance rate 87%, close to 90%
Match #6
The University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, TX
Profile closeness81/100
Admit rate80%
- 32,294 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 51%, close to 56%
- Average net price $17,040, close to $14,788
Match #7
The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX
Profile closeness81/100
Admit rate100%
- 21,005 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 51%, close to 56%
- Enrollment 21,005 students, close to 17,743
Match #8
Prairie View A & M University
Prairie View, TX
Profile closeness80/100
Admit rate79%
- 8,877 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Average net price $13,638, close to $14,788
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #9
Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX
Profile closeness79/100
Admit rate96%
- 8,767 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 49%, close to 56%
- Acceptance rate 96%, close to 90%
Match #10
University of North Texas
Denton, TX
Profile closeness78/100
Admit rate72%
- 34,341 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 63%, close to 56%
- Average net price $15,358, close to $14,788
Questions about Sam Houston State University alternatives
What colleges are similar to Sam Houston State University?
The closest matches to Sam Houston State University are Texas State University, Tarleton State University, Stephen F Austin State University, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and The University of Texas at San Antonio. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is Sam Houston State University hard to get into?
Sam Houston State University admitted 90% of its 11,556 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 4 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which Sam Houston State University alternatives cost less?
5 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than Sam Houston State University ($14,788 a year), including The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley ($4,858), The University of Texas at El Paso ($6,803), and The University of Texas at San Antonio ($9,872). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
