Texas Southern University
Houston, TX 77004
About Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University is a public research university in Houston, Texas, serving roughly 6,844 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 96.91% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $38,924 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Texas Southern University charges 66% above the national public median tuition ($9,173).
- Versus the Texas median, sticker tuition is 8% below.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 22.16%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $38,924.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Texas Southern University is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 487% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
Texas Southern University awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 68 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Southern University | $9,173 | $16,590 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Texas (state median) | $9,940 | $8,031 | 184 |
| Urban (City) (locale median) | $15,200 | $20,053 | 1,346 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Texas Southern University really?
Key findings
- Texas Southern University charges 66% above the national public median tuition ($9,173).
- Versus the Texas median, sticker tuition is 8% below.
Texas Southern University tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $9,173
Finding Texas Southern University charges 66% above the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $9,173. That is 66% above the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Texas median ($9,940), sticker tuition is 8% below. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 23% below.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Texas Southern University versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Texas Southern University versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Texas Southern University is $16,590.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $16,590 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $8,559 above the Texas median net price. Versus urban (city) campuses, net price runs $3,463 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Texas Southern University, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Texas Southern University: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Texas Southern University—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$9,173
Out-of-state tuition
$21,473
Avg. net price
$16,590
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $16,437 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $21,115 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $21,280 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $22,698 |
| $110,001+ | $21,610 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $36,692. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Texas Southern University is known for
Top program completions
- Law185
- Business Administration and Management, General139
- Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration88
- General Studies86
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General86
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 23% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 914
- Midpoint ACT: 17
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Texas Southern University a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Texas Southern University is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Texas Southern University.
Campus
Location
Houston, TX
City / state
- ZIP
- 77004
- NCES locale
- City
Compared with Urban (City) campuses nationally, net price is 17% below the median for Urban (City) campuses ($20,053 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Southwest
- Carnegie
- Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity
Size
Enrollment
6,844
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 7,693
- Graduate
- 1,860
- Full-time share
- 87%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$29,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 72.26%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Texas Southern University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Texas Southern University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Texas Southern University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $7,946 | $18,566 | $18,312 |
| 2014 | $8,126 | $18,986 | $18,023 |
| 2015 | $8,726 | $20,426 | $19,221 |
| 2016 | $9,000 | $21,240 | $18,953 |
| 2017 | $9,173 | $21,623 | $19,676 |
| 2018 | $9,173 | $21,623 | $19,950 |
| 2019 | $9,173 | $21,833 | $19,430 |
| 2020 | $9,173 | $21,443 | $17,914 |
| 2021 | $9,173 | $21,413 | $18,000 |
| 2022 | $9,173 | $21,413 | $18,012 |
| 2023 | $9,173 | $21,773 | $19,734 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 914 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 17 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.20
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Texas Southern University reported total enrollment of about 6,844 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 35% male and 65% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Black or African American (85.9%), Hispanic or Latino (8.0%), and Two or More Races (3.5%). About 72.26% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 38.8% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
87.0% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Texas Southern University in 2024 is 6,844 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 7,693 students. Graduate enrollment is about 1,860 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
66.2%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
6.79% 100% Completion Time
22.16% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 6.79% of students graduating from Texas Southern University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Law: 41% male / 59% female
- Business Administration and Management, General: 42% male / 58% female
- Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration: 20% male / 80% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Texas Southern University graduates earn a median of $38,924 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Texas Southern University.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $38,924. Median federal loan debt: $29,000. Average net price used in cost models: $16,590.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Texas Southern University graduates report median earnings of $38,924 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Texas Southern University.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (68 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Texas Southern University.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Texas Southern University graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Texas Southern University—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$85.5M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Texas median 2.4× the median ($35.8M)
- Southwest median 3.7× the median ($23.2M)
- U.S. median 3.2× the median ($26.4M)
- Texas median 0.86× the median ($13,085)
- Southwest median 1.1× the median ($10,113)
- U.S. median 0.93× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 58.8%
- Texas median 1.2 pp below median (60.1%)
- Southwest median 0.9 pp below median (59.7%)
- U.S. median 0.9 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $8,730
- Texas median 1.2× the median ($7,150)
- Southwest median 1.2× the median ($7,078)
- U.S. median 1.1× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $8,340
- Texas median 1.6× the median ($5,060)
- Southwest median 1.5× the median ($5,699)
- U.S. median 1.1× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Texas Southern University at a glance
Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University is a public institution in Houston, TX, classified as Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- LawBusiness Administration and Management, GeneralCriminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
- Largest enrollment groups
- Black or African American85.9%Hispanic or Latino8.0%Two or More Races3.5%
Schools near Texas Southern University
Other campuses in Houston, TX when available, plus nearby institutions in Texas.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within Texas, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Texas Southern University located?
Texas Southern University is located in Houston, TX.
What is Texas Southern University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Texas Southern University is 96.9% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 7,867 applicants and 7,344 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Texas Southern University's tuition?
Texas Southern University tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $9,173 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $16,590 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Texas Southern University cost?
Reported tuition is $9,173 and average net price is $16,590 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $12,800 annually.
What explains Texas Southern University's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($16,590), completion (22.2% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($38,924). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Texas Southern University?
Texas Southern University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 7,693 students, Black or African American (85.9%), Hispanic or Latino (8.0%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Texas Southern University?
About 38.8% of students at Texas Southern University are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Texas Southern University?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Texas Southern University reports midpoint SAT about 914 and midpoint ACT about 17.
What do graduates of Texas Southern University earn?
Median earnings are $32,986 six years after entry and $38,924 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Texas Southern University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 22.2% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Texas Southern University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $29,000.
Is Texas Southern University public or private?
Texas Southern University is a public institution located in Houston, TX.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.