Sam Houston State University Admission Requirements and Statistics

[updated for 2024-2025 admission data]

How hard is Sam Houston State to get into?

This page provides the latest information on Sam Houston State University (Sam Houston State)'s admission process, acceptance rate, and student profile. Sam Houston State's acceptance rate is 90.26% for 2024-2025 admission. A total of 17,179 students applied and 15,506 were admitted to the school. Its acceptance rate is relatively high, making it somewhat easy to get into Sam Houston State.

To apply to Sam Houston State, it is required to submit high school GPA and record. The SAT and ACT score is not required, but considered for admission. In addition, english proficiency test score is also considered (required).

Explore Sam Houston State University

Admission Statistics

For the academic year 2024-25, Sam Houston State's acceptance rate is 90.26% and the yield (also known as enrollment rate) is 21.09%. 5,966 men and 11,213 women applied to Sam Houston State and 5,257 men and 10,249 women students were accepted.

Among them, 1,238 men and 2,032 women were enrolled in Sam Houston State. You can explore the Sam Houston State's admission rates and SAT score trends over the past decade, including year-by-year data and analysis, by visiting Admission Trends page.

Acceptance Rate and Admission Statistics at Sam Houston State
TotalMenWomenAnother GenderGender Unknown
Applicants17,1795,96611,21300
Admitted15,5065,25710,24900
Enrolled3,2701,2382,03200
Acceptance Rate 90.26%88.12%91.40%--
Yield 21.09%23.55%19.83%--

Data source: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) (Last update: December 11, 2024)

Sam Houston State University 2025 Acceptance Rate By Gender chart

Median SAT and ACT Score

For the academic year 2025, 1,711 students (52% of enrolled students) submitted SAT scores and 205 students (6% of enrolled students) submitted ACT scores as part of the admission process at Sam Houston State.

The median SAT score for admitted students is 1,040, including 530 in SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) and 510 in SAT Math. The 75th percentile SAT EBRW score is 570 and the 25th percentile is 480. For SAT Math, the 75th percentile score is 550 and the 25th percentile is 450.

The median ACT composite score is 20, with a 75th percentile score of 24 and a 25th percentile score of 17 at Sam Houston State. The median ACT Math score is 18 and the median ACT English score is 22.

How competitive is Sam Houston State's score?

The SAT and ACT scores at Sam Houston State University are similar to the average score compared to similar colleges (SAT: 1,131, ACT: 23 - public research university with high research activity).

2025 SAT and ACT Scores at Sam Houston State
25th Percentile50th Percentile (Median)75th Percentile
SAT Total9301,0401,120
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing480530570
SAT Math450510550
ACT Composite172024
ACT Math161822
ACT English182226

Data source: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) (Last update: December 11, 2024)

Sam Houston State University 2025 SAT and ACT Score Chart

First-year Enrollment by Gender and Enrolled Type

For the academic year 2024-25, total 3,270 first-year students enrolled in Sam Houston State. The proportion of full-time students is 96.97% and part-time students is 3.03%.

By gender, the proportion of men students is 37.86% and women students is 62.14%.

The following table shows the first-year students by gender and enrolled type at Sam Houston State.

First-Year Students by Gender and Enrolled Type at Sam Houston State
TotalMenWomenAnother GenderGender Unknown
Total3,2701,2382,03200
Full-time3,1711,2001,97100
Part-time99386100

Data source: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) (Last update: December 11, 2024)

Application Requirements

It requires to submit High School GPA, High School Record (or Transcript), and English Proficiency Test to its applicants.

The SAT and ACT test score is not required, but considered in admission process at Sam Houston State. The english proficiency test is required .

The next table summarizes the application requirements to apply Sam Houston State University.

For more admission information such as minimum GPA and deadlines, see its online application page .

Sam Houston State Admission Requirements
High School GPARequired
High School RankConsidered, if submitted
High School Record (or Transcript)Required
Completion of College Preparatory ProgramConsidered, if submitted
RecommendationsNot Considered
Formal Demonstration of CompetenciesNot Considered
SAT / ACTConsidered, if submitted
English Proficiency TestRequired
Other Test (Wonderlic,WISC-III,etc)Not Considered
Work experienceConsidered, if submitted
Personal statement or essayConsidered, if submitted
Legacy statusNot Considered

General Admissions Information

The following provides general admission information for applying to Sam Houston State:

  • Open Admission Policy: No
  • Undergraduate Application Fees: -
  • Graduate Application Fees: -
  • Admission Information: www.shsu.edu/admissions
  • Online Application: www.shsu.edu/admissions/apply-texas.html
  • Calendar System: Semester
  • Course for High School Students: Not Offered
  • Credits Accepted: Credits for Life Experiences, Advanced placement (AP) Credits
  • Degree Offered: 1-Year Certificate, Associate, Bachelor, Post-Bachelor Certificate, Master, Doctoral (Research), Doctoral (Professional Practice)

Sam Houston State Admission Frequently Asked Questions

Sam Houston State is relatively easy to get into, with an acceptance rate of 90.26%.
Sam Houston State recommends submitting SAT or ACT scores, but they are not strictly required for admission. The average SAT score required for admission to Sam Houston State is 1,040, and the average ACT score is 20. Meeting or exceeding these scores will improve your chances of admission.
Sam Houston State recommends submitting a personal essay or statement, but it is not strictly required.
Sam Houston State does not require or recommend a recommendation letter for admission. However, it may be required for certain programs or scholarships.
Sam Houston State does not require an application fee for undergraduate or graduate admission.
Yes, Sam Houston State requires applicants to submit high school GPA, high school record or transcript as part of the admission process.
Yes, Sam Houston State requires international applicants to submit an English proficiency test (like TOEFL or IELTS) as part of the application.

The institutional SAT code for Sam Houston State is 6643 and 4-digit ACT code is 4162.

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