Graduates of Sam Houston State University earn median earnings of $57,044 four years after enrollment, placing Sam Houston State University in the 31.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $5,811 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 78.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures still represent lifetime returns relative to TX's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $31,626 — the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential. The degree mix at Sam Houston State University is anchored by Security & Protective Services, which accounts for 19% of graduates, followed by Education at 7% and Arts at 5%. Criminal Justice combines the largest cohort scale with competitive earnings, making it the program with the highest aggregate return. Azimuth ranks Criminal Justice #73 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 838 graduates earning median earnings of $51,748. Among other notable programs, Azimuth ranks Business/Commerce, General #25 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $63,837, and Azimuth ranks Psychology, General #222 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $47,659. Communication and Media Studies adds further depth, with Azimuth ranking it #150 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions and graduates earning median earnings of $50,125.
Graduates of Sam Houston State University earn median earnings of $57,044 four years after enrollment, placing Sam Houston State University in the 31.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $5,811 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 78.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures still represent lifetime returns relative to TX's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $31,626 — the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential. The degree mix at Sam Houston State University is anchored by Security & Protective Services, which accounts for 19% of graduates, followed by Education at 7% and Arts at 5%. Criminal Justice combines the largest cohort scale with competitive earnings, making it the program with the highest aggregate return. Azimuth ranks Criminal Justice #73 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 838 graduates earning median earnings of $51,748. Among other notable programs, Azimuth ranks Business/Commerce, General #25 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $63,837, and Azimuth ranks Psychology, General #222 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $47,659. Communication and Media Studies adds further depth, with Azimuth ranking it #150 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions and graduates earning median earnings of $50,125.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Graduates of Sam Houston State University earn median earnings of $57,044 four years after enrollment, placing Sam Houston State University in the 31.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $5,811 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 78.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures still represent lifetime returns relative to TX's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $31,626 — the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential. The degree mix at Sam Houston State University is anchored by Security & Protective Services, which accounts for 19% of graduates, followed by Education at 7% and Arts at 5%. Criminal Justice combines the largest cohort scale with competitive earnings, making it the program with the highest aggregate return. Azimuth ranks Criminal Justice #73 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 838 graduates earning median earnings of $51,748. Among other notable programs, Azimuth ranks Business/Commerce, General #25 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $63,837, and Azimuth ranks Psychology, General #222 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $47,659. Communication and Media Studies adds further depth, with Azimuth ranking it #150 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions and graduates earning median earnings of $50,125.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
Sam Houston State University's program mix is anchored in Security & Protective Services, which accounts for 19% of graduates — a concentration that reflects the university's well-known criminal justice and corrections programs. Education represents 7% of degree output, and Arts accounts for 5%, giving the institution a applied-professional orientation overall. Criminal Justice is the largest program with 838 graduates, followed by Teacher Education (296 graduates), Business/Commerce, General (263 graduates), Psychology, General (243 graduates), and Communication and Media Studies (186 graduates). Across 59 programs serving roughly 4,235 students annually, 46 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold. The strongest earnings come from health and business fields. Nursing leads with median earnings of $91,697 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #116 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The Business/Commerce, General program graduates 263 students and earns $63,837, while Azimuth ranks Kinesiology #75 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $57,341. Criminal Justice combines strong enrollment scale with solid pay, making it a key driver of the institution's overall earnings profile. Nursing and health programs are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly into in-demand roles, and four-year earnings reflect real labor-market outcomes. Criminal Justice, by contrast, is a field where four-year earnings may understate long-term trajectory for graduates who continue to law school or federal service. The supply-demand map provides context for how the institution's dominant program families align with national labor-market demand. ```
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of Sam Houston State University earn median earnings of $57,044 four years after enrollment, placing Sam Houston State University in the 31.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $5,811 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 78.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures still represent lifetime returns relative to TX's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $31,626 — the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential. The degree mix at Sam Houston State University is anchored by Security & Protective Services, which accounts for 19% of graduates, followed by Education at 7% and Arts at 5%. Criminal Justice combines the largest cohort scale with competitive earnings, making it the program with the highest aggregate return. Azimuth ranks Criminal Justice #73 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 838 graduates earning median earnings of $51,748. Among other notable programs, Azimuth ranks Business/Commerce, General #25 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $63,837, and Azimuth ranks Psychology, General #222 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $47,659. Communication and Media Studies adds further depth, with Azimuth ranking it #150 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions and graduates earning median earnings of $50,125.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
