Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $25,505. College Scorecard.
Net price by family income
Average after grants and scholarships for Texas residents receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year
Sticker price, line by line
| Per year, living on campus | In-state | Out-of-state |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $9,228 | $19,068 |
| Housing & meals | $11,720 | $11,720 |
| Books & supplies | $1,380 | $1,380 |
| Personal & travel | $3,866 | $3,866 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$689 | −$689 |
| Total cost of attendance | $25,505 | $35,345 |
Cost items: IPEDS 2023-24, on-campus budget. Total: College Scorecard, which averages students living on and off campus; the adjustment row reconciles the two. Out-of-state total = in-state total with out-of-state tuition.
Debt after graduation
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
Who gets aid
State aid: Texas residents with financial need may receive a TEXAS Grant at Texas public universities; amounts are set each year and vary by college. Not included in the prices above. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (College for All Texans)
College Scorecard
Need-based and merit aid at SHSU
What SHSU reported for full-time first-year students in fall 2025. Merit aid is the money net price averages miss for families who don't qualify for need-based aid.
If you qualify for need-based aid
If you don't qualify for need-based aid
Items H2-H2A. Common Data Set 2025-26 (fall 2025 first-year students), published by the college.
SHSU net price compared with other Texas colleges
SHSU has the 52nd-lowest average net price of 96 Texas colleges we cover. Schools around it:
| Rank | College | Avg. net price | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | Angelo State University | $15,091 | 44% | $50,116 |
| 49 | Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | $15,225 | 40% | $51,865 |
| 50 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | $15,563 | 52% | $59,004 |
| 51 | University of North Texas | $15,649 | 61% | $57,010 |
| 52 | Sam Houston State University | $16,404 | 55% | $54,211 |
| 53 | Our Lady of the Lake University | $16,442 | 46% | $48,675 |
| 54 | Texas Southern University | $16,590 | 22% | $38,924 |
| 55 | Texas State University | $16,805 | 55% | $56,906 |
| 56 | The University of Texas at Dallas | $18,267 | 76% | $68,227 |
College Scorecard, latest year. Average for all aided students; your price depends on income. All Texas colleges →
Why SHSU costs more or less than similar schools
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Houston State University | 90% | $16,404 | 55% | $54,211 | This school |
| Tarleton State University | 90% | $20,783 | 48% | $53,040 | |
| The University of Texas at El Paso | 100% | $9,403 | 50% | $50,923 | |
| Stephen F Austin State University | 94% | $14,260 | 53% | $49,634 | |
| The University of Texas at Tyler | 94% | $13,323 | 54% | $57,053 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Sam Houston State University would cost you $4,379 less per year than Tarleton State University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Sam Houston State University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$926).
- Sam Houston State University gives aided families $5,784 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Texas resident | SHSU | TSU | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $9,228 | $8,302 | +$926 |
| Books & supplies | $1,380 | $1,560 | −$180 |
| Housing & meals | $11,720 | $10,846 | +$874 |
| Personal & travel | $3,866 | $3,816 | +$50 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$689 | −$424 | −$265 |
| Sticker price | $25,505 | $24,100 | +$1,405 |
| Average grants | −$9,101 | −$3,317 | −$5,784 |
| You pay | $16,404 | $20,783 | −$4,379 |
“+” means SHSU costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
SHSU cost questions
How much is tuition at SHSU?
Tuition and fees are $9,228 a year for Texas residents and $19,068 for out-of-state students.
What is the total cost of attending SHSU?
The total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books and personal costs, is $25,505 a year for Texas residents living on campus and about $35,345 for out-of-state students.
What do families actually pay at SHSU?
After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $16,404 a year on average. Families earning $0–30k pay $12,474; $48–75k pay $15,540; $110k+ pay $24,101. These figures are for Texas residents.
Does SHSU give merit scholarships?
For fall 2025, 316 full-time first-year students with no financial need received merit scholarships or grants from Sam Houston State University, averaging $2,411 (Common Data Set 2025-26, excluding athletic awards). Students with need had 62% of it met on average.
How much debt do SHSU graduates have?
The median federal loan debt at graduation is $16,500, and 6.2% of borrowers defaulted within three years of entering repayment (2017 cohort).
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By). Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote; confirm with the school's net price calculator. Back to Sam Houston State University overview