Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Sam Houston State University Featured Rankings
- #1 Online Master’s in Forensics
- #2 Online Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice
- #4 Online Master’s in Executive MBA
- #5 Online Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration
- #6 Online Bachelor’s in Homeland Security
- #8 Best Online Master's of Public Relations
- #8 Best Online MBAs Texas
- #9 Texas' Best Online Colleges 2026
- #10 Online Master's in Agribusiness
- #10 Criminal Justice Colleges and Universities
- #10 Online Bachelor’s in History
- #11 Most Affordable Online Nursing Bachelors
- #11 Online Master's in Kinesiology
- #12 Best Affordable Colleges in Texas 2026
- #12 Public Colleges in Texas 2026
- #14 Online Master’s in Green Technologies
- #15 Texas's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #16 Research Universities in Texas 2026
- #16 Best Colleges in Texas 2026
- #18 Online Master’s in Criminal Justice
- #20 Online Master’s in Educational Administration
- #22 Online Master’s in Communications
- #22 Online Bachelor’s in Communications
- #37 Best Online Colleges
About Sam Houston State University
According to Wikipedia, Sam Houston State University is a public research university in Huntsville, Texas. Founded in 1879, it is the third-oldest public college or university in Texas. It is one of the first normal schools west of the Mississippi River and the first in Texas. The school is named for Sam Houston, who made his home in the city and is buried there.
Sam Houston State University's Online Degrees
BBA in Business Administration
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: 4-5 years
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Data Assurance
- Required Credits: 15
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Emergency Management
- Required Credits: 18
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
MBA in Business Administration
Degree Concentrations
- EMBA – Banking and Financial Institutions
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MS in Project Management Hybrid
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MPA in Public Administration
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Geographic Information Systems
- Required Credits: 15
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
MS in Geographic Information Systems
- Required Credits: 30-36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
BA/BS in Criminal Justice
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: 4-5 years
- Format: Fully online
BA/BS in Homeland Security Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: 4-5 years
- Format: Fully online
BA/BS in Victim Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: 4-5 years
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Critical Infrastructure Protection
- Required Credits: 18
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Digital Investigation
- Required Credits: 15
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Criminal Justice Leadership and Management
- Required Credits: 18
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Cyber Security
- Required Credits: 18
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
MS in Digital Forensics
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MS in Information Assurance and Security
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MS in Criminal Justice
Degree Concentrations
- Leadership and Management
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MS in Homeland Security Management
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MS in Victim Services Management
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Academic Advising
- Required Credits: 15
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Adult Education
- Required Credits: 12
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Developmental Reading
- Required Credits: 18
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Dyslexia
- Required Credits: 15
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Educational Technology
- Required Credits: 15
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Effective Online Instruction
- Required Credits: 12
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Early Childhood Special Education
- Required Credits: 15
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Higher Education Assessment and Institutional Research
- Required Credits: 15
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Principal Certification
- Required Credits: 24
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Reading Specialist Certification
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 1-2 years
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Second Language Instruction
- Required Credits: 12
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Superintendent Certification
- Required Credits: 15
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
EdD in Developmental Education Administration
- Required Credits: 60
- Completion Time: 3.5-4.5 years
- Format: Fully online
EdD in Instructional Systems Design and Technology
- Required Credits: 60
- Completion Time: 3.5-4.5 years
- Format: Fully online
MEd in Curriculum and Instruction
- Required Credits: 30
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MEd in Instructional Leadership,
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MEd in Instructional Systems Design and Technology,
- Required Credits: 30
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MEd in -Reading / Language Arts
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MEd in School Leadership
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MEd in Special Education
Degree Concentrations
- Traditional path
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MEd in Special Education Hybrid
Degree Concentrations
- Bilingual path
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MEd in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
- Required Credits: 30
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MA in Higher Education Administration
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
BA in General Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: 4-5 years
- Format: Fully online
BA/BS in Communications
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: 4-5 years
- Format: Fully online
BA/BS in Sociology
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: 4-5 years
- Format: Fully online
BA in History
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: 4-5 years
- Format: Fully online
BA/BS in Political Science
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: 4-5 years
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Community Development
- Required Credits: 15
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Health Communication and Public Relations
- Required Credits: 15
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
Certificate in Youth Services Libraries
- Required Credits: 9
- Completion Time: 1 year or less
- Format: Fully online
MA in Band Studies Hybrid
- Required Credits: 30
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MA in Family Life Educator
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MA in Communication Studies
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MA in Sociology
- Required Credits: 37
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MA in Technical Communication
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MA in History
- Required Credits: 30
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MLS in Library Science
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MA in Mathematics Hybrid
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MA in Political Science
- Required Credits: 30
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
BSN in Nursing: RN to BSN
- Required Credits: 121
- Completion Time: 4-5 years
- Format: Fully online
BS in Health Care Administration
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: 4-5 years
- Format: Fully online
MS in Health Care Quality and Safety
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
MS in Kinesiology/Sport and Human Performance
- Required Credits: 30-36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
BS in Psychology
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: 4-5 years
- Format: Fully online
MAg in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Environment (SAFE)
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2-3 years
- Format: Fully online
Sam Houston State University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17,582 | 90% | 73% | 56% | 1025 | 20 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Sam Houston State University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $9,228 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $11,734 |
| 30K - 48K | $11,472 |
| 48K - 75K | $12,286 |
| 75K - 110K | $17,548 |
| 110K+ | $23,418 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Sam Houston State University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Sam Houston State University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $56,877 a year, and 92% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Sam Houston State University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 23,694 | 19,844 | 3,850 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Sam Houston State University?
Sam Houston State University is located at 1806 Ave J, Huntsville, TX 77340.
How Safe is Sam Houston State University?
Relative to its enrollment, Sam Houston State University has a violent crime rate of 0.05% and a property crime rate of 0.07%. Huntsville has a violent crime rate of 0.52% and a property crime rate of 1.56%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Sam Houston State University Known For?
Sam Houston State University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Criminal Justice
- Communications
- Mathematics
- Chemistry
- History
- Earth Sciences
- Psychology
- Political Science
- Medical
- Business
- Education
- Physics
- Engineering
- Computer Science
- Biology
- Literature
- Economics
- Nursing
- Sociology
- Philosophy
Sam Houston State University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Sam Houston State University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Sam Houston State University ranks #44 in the U.S. and #54 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #207 in the U.S. and #735 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #352 in the U.S. and #1453 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #413 in the U.S. and #2081 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #469 in the U.S. and #1349 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #470 in the U.S. and #1929 worldwide for influence in Earth Sciences.
earth-science DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #527 in the U.S. and #1361 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #544 in the U.S. and #2264 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #564 in the U.S. and #2087 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #575 in the U.S. and #2136 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #603 in the U.S. and #2627 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #725 in the U.S. and #3106 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #758 in the U.S. and #4281 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #768 in the U.S. and #3421 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #782 in the U.S. and #3384 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #860 in the U.S. and #2602 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #964 in the U.S. and #5309 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #1092 in the U.S. and #2792 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #1423 in the U.S. and #4520 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesSam Houston State University ranks #1447 in the U.S. and #4823 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesWho Are Sam Houston State University's Most Influential Alumni?
Sam Houston State University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Criminal Justice, Anthropology, and Communications. Here are some of Sam Houston State University's most famous alumni:
- Dan Rather
- An American broadcast journalist.
- David F. Duncan
- An American psychologist.
- Josh McCown
- An American football player .
- Ralph Yarborough
- An American politician in Texas .
- Dana Andrews
- An American actor .
- Billy Gunn
- An American professional wrestler and former professional bull rider.
- Charlie Wilson
- An American politician .
- Jack P. Lewis
- An American Bible scholar .
- Richard Linklater
- An American director and screenwriter.
- Neal Krause
- A Public health professor and researcher.
- William Wilbanks
- An American criminologist and professor .
- Steve Sparks
- An American baseball player .
