Texas

Average student debt in Texas — 40 colleges, and what their graduates earn

Every Texas university with published federal figures, ordered by how fast the debt clears. The typical graded US university clears its debt in 1.3 years on median earnings of $57,146 against $22,500 of debt.

#UniversityGradeYou borrowMonthlyYou earnDebt clears in
1 Rice University Texas A $11,000 $125 $89,718 0.2 yrs
2 Texas Tech University-Health Sciences Center Texas A $12,268 $139 $92,348 0.2 yrs
3 Southern Methodist University Texas A $19,500 $222 $78,354 0.5 yrs
4 Texas A&M University - College Station Texas A $17,804 $202 $72,097 0.6 yrs
5 University of Texas at Austin Texas A $20,500 $233 $75,121 0.6 yrs
6 University of Texas at Dallas Texas B $18,000 $205 $68,227 0.6 yrs
7 Trinity University Texas B $22,954 $261 $71,668 0.7 yrs
8 Texas Christian University Texas B $21,500 $244 $68,424 0.7 yrs
9 University of Texas at Arlington Texas B $17,527 $199 $63,199 0.7 yrs
10 University of Houston Texas B $18,194 $207 $62,377 0.8 yrs
11 Baylor University Texas B $23,000 $262 $65,793 0.9 yrs
12 Texas Tech University Texas B $21,500 $244 $62,454 0.9 yrs
13 University of Texas at Tyler Texas C $17,137 $195 $57,053 1 yrs
14 University of Texas Permian Basin Texas C $17,750 $202 $56,073 1.1 yrs
15 University of North Texas Texas C $19,250 $219 $57,010 1.1 yrs
16 Austin College Texas C $24,500 $279 $61,296 1.1 yrs
17 Texas Woman's University Texas C $19,218 $219 $56,544 1.1 yrs
18 University of Texas at San Antonio Texas C $20,500 $233 $57,131 1.2 yrs
19 Texas State University Texas C $21,000 $239 $56,906 1.2 yrs
20 University of Dallas Texas C $23,117 $263 $58,285 1.2 yrs
21 Dallas Baptist University Texas C $21,591 $245 $56,807 1.3 yrs
22 The University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley Texas C $12,950 $147 $49,620 1.3 yrs
23 Saint Edward's University Texas C $24,803 $282 $58,826 1.3 yrs
24 Midwestern State University Texas C $21,030 $239 $55,747 1.3 yrs
25 University of Houston-Downtown Texas C $18,750 $213 $53,551 1.3 yrs
26 Southwestern University Texas C $25,000 $284 $56,878 1.4 yrs
27 Tarleton State University Texas C $19,606 $223 $53,040 1.5 yrs
28 LeTourneau University Texas C $26,000 $296 $57,103 1.5 yrs
29 Abilene Christian University Texas C $24,250 $276 $55,736 1.5 yrs
30 Sam Houston State University Texas C $21,983 $250 $54,211 1.5 yrs

In-state tuition is the lever that moves this most

The debt column is shaped far more by residency and institutional aid than by anything else. If you are applying from another state or another country, the figures here understate what you would borrow — check the university's own net price for your situation.

Read the salary next to the debt, never alone

Two universities in this state with identical graduate salaries can be two grades apart, because one leaves students owing twice as much. The payback column is the one that combines both.

Questions

Which university in Texas pays back fastest?
Rice University — $89,718 median earnings against $11,000 of debt, clearing in about 0.2 years.
How much do US students typically borrow?
Across the 810 universities we grade, median debt at graduation is $22,500 — about $256 a month on the standard ten-year federal plan.
Can scholarships change these numbers?
Directly. Every award comes off the borrowing before you ever repay it, which shortens the payback on each university page. Each page lists the scholarships we hold for that institution.
All payback rankings Fastest payback Lowest debt Highest earnings Scholarships that cut the debt How we calculate this

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures cover students who received federal financial aid and blend every subject at each institution. Information only, not financial advice.