Houston, Texas Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Houston, Texas shows: median public in-state tuition $13,920 (+152.5% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $59,224 (+9.0% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 87.5% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $12,000 (-10.7% vs U.S.) 137,564 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 60 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 137,564 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $13,920 (+152.5% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $59,224 (+9.0% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 87.5% (-0.4 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $19,701 (+97.7% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $12,000 (-10.7% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $11,012
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 46.7%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 74.4%
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Full profile payload including top-college lists and peer comparisons.
Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Houston, Texas—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Texas and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Houston vs Texas & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston, Texas | $13,920 | $19,701 | $12,000 | 46.7% | 137,564 |
| Texas (state median) | $3,555 | $8,031 | $10,667 | 45.2% | 1,239,434 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Houston, Texas vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston, Texas | $59,224 | 87.5% | 74.4% | 5.9% | — | 67.9% | 0.30 |
| Texas (state median) | $54,274 | 89.8% | 69.6% | 6.9% | — | 69.1% | 0.40 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Texas (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston, Texas | $13,920 | $19,701 | $12,000 | 46.7% | 137,564 | $59,224 | 87.5% |
| San Antonio | $11,707 | $20,465 | $9,500 | 50.5% | 111,767 | $56,844 | 90.7% |
| Austin | $23,500 | $21,991 | $9,120 | 44.6% | 82,274 | $59,854 | 89.8% |
| Dallas | $17,666 | $22,800 | $13,000 | 45.8% | 62,329 | $42,091 | 86.2% |
| Fort Worth | $11,934 | $24,181 | $15,500 | 31.5% | 57,100 | $61,238 | 90.7% |
| El Paso | $9,744 | $15,578 | $11,000 | 65.5% | 50,606 | $50,923 | 89.2% |
| Denton | $9,974 | $15,649 | $19,218 | 54.9% | 43,336 | $56,777 | 90.6% |
| Lubbock | $20,196 | $21,763 | $12,618 | 60.0% | 35,638 | $62,454 | 92.4% |
| Arlington | $16,390 | $22,520 | $8,505 | 36.7% | 34,674 | $53,922 | 88.6% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Houston, Texas
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private nonprofit | 4 | $57,578 | 85.5% | 87.6% | 5.9% | — | 72.4% |
| Public | 6 | $60,690 | 88.5% | 70.8% | 6.8% | — | 65.3% |
Top 10 colleges in Houston, Texas by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 94.6%, Rice University
Rice University
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 68.8%, University of St Thomas
University of St Thomas
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 64.6%, University of Houston
University of Houston
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Rank 4, Graduation Rate, 51.6%, University of Houston-Clear Lake
University of Houston-Clear Lake
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Rank 5, Graduation Rate, 49.1%, Houston Christian University
Houston Christian University
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Rank 6, Graduation Rate, 33.2%, University of Houston-Downtown
University of Houston-Downtown
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Rank 7, Graduation Rate, 25.0%, Chamberlain University-Texas
Chamberlain University-Texas
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Rank 8, Graduation Rate, 22.2%, Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
Top 10 colleges in Houston, Texas by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 89.3%, University of Houston
University of Houston
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 88.5%, Houston Christian University
Houston Christian University
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 87.7%, University of Houston-Clear Lake
University of Houston-Clear Lake
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 87.5%, Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 87.5%, University of Houston-Downtown
University of Houston-Downtown
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 86.6%, Rice University
Rice University
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Rank 7, Employment Outcome, 86.5%, Chamberlain University-Texas
Chamberlain University-Texas
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Rank 8, Employment Outcome, 84.5%, University of St Thomas
University of St Thomas
Top 10 most selective colleges in Houston, Texas (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 8.0%, Rice University
Rice University
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 73.9%, University of Houston
University of Houston
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 83.9%, Chamberlain University-Texas
Chamberlain University-Texas
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Rank 4, Admission Rate, 84.4%, Houston Christian University
Houston Christian University
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Rank 5, Admission Rate, 89.9%, University of St Thomas
University of St Thomas
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Rank 6, Admission Rate, 90.0%, University of Houston-Downtown
University of Houston-Downtown
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Rank 7, Admission Rate, 90.5%, University of Houston-Clear Lake
University of Houston-Clear Lake
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Rank 8, Admission Rate, 96.9%, Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
Top 10 colleges in Houston, Texas by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $131,154, Rice University
Rice University
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $99,671, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $93,001, University of Houston-Clear Lake
University of Houston-Clear Lake
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Rank 4, Entry-Level Earnings, $86,136, University of Houston
University of Houston
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Rank 5, Entry-Level Earnings, $83,793, University of St Thomas
University of St Thomas
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Rank 6, Entry-Level Earnings, $83,188, Chamberlain University-Texas
Chamberlain University-Texas
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Rank 7, Entry-Level Earnings, $82,043, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
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Rank 8, Entry-Level Earnings, $79,229, Houston Christian University
Houston Christian University
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Rank 9, Entry-Level Earnings, $68,144, University of Houston-Downtown
University of Houston-Downtown
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Rank 10, Entry-Level Earnings, $57,511, Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
Top 10 colleges in Houston, Texas by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $182,443, Rice University
Rice University
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $112,244, University of Houston-Downtown
University of Houston-Downtown
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $110,184, University of Houston
University of Houston
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Rank 4, Early-Career Earnings, $103,991, University of Houston-Clear Lake
University of Houston-Clear Lake
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Rank 5, Early-Career Earnings, $96,132, Chamberlain University-Texas
Chamberlain University-Texas
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Rank 6, Early-Career Earnings, $93,475, Houston Christian University
Houston Christian University
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Rank 7, Early-Career Earnings, $92,899, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
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Rank 8, Early-Career Earnings, $87,401, University of St Thomas
University of St Thomas
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Rank 9, Early-Career Earnings, $85,326, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
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Rank 10, Early-Career Earnings, $71,595, Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
Top 10 colleges in Houston, Texas by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $84,533, Chamberlain University-Texas
Chamberlain University-Texas
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $79,751, Rice University
Rice University
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $52,768, University of Houston
University of Houston
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $52,098, University of Houston-Clear Lake
University of Houston-Clear Lake
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $49,971, University of St Thomas
University of St Thomas
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $49,120, University of Houston-Downtown
University of Houston-Downtown
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Rank 7, Mid-Career Earnings, $44,595, Houston Christian University
Houston Christian University
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Rank 8, Mid-Career Earnings, $32,986, Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
Top 10 colleges in Houston, Texas by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $88,361, Chamberlain University-Texas
Chamberlain University-Texas
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $78,690, Rice University
Rice University
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $58,739, University of Houston
University of Houston
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $56,582, University of Houston-Clear Lake
University of Houston-Clear Lake
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $56,544, University of St Thomas
University of St Thomas
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $50,849, University of Houston-Downtown
University of Houston-Downtown
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Rank 7, 8-Yr Earnings, $49,015, Houston Christian University
Houston Christian University
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Rank 8, 8-Yr Earnings, $36,745, Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
Top 10 colleges in Houston, Texas by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $92,405, Chamberlain University-Texas
Chamberlain University-Texas
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $89,718, Rice University
Rice University
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $62,377, University of Houston
University of Houston
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $59,224, University of St Thomas
University of St Thomas
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $59,004, University of Houston-Clear Lake
University of Houston-Clear Lake
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $55,933, Houston Christian University
Houston Christian University
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Rank 7, 10-Yr Earnings, $53,551, University of Houston-Downtown
University of Houston-Downtown
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Rank 8, 10-Yr Earnings, $38,924, Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
Top 10 colleges in Houston, Texas by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $348,384, Rice University
Rice University
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $280,894, Chamberlain University-Texas
Chamberlain University-Texas
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $224,537, University of Houston-Clear Lake
University of Houston-Clear Lake
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $220,930, University of Houston
University of Houston
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $183,070, University of St Thomas
University of St Thomas
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $182,590, University of Houston-Downtown
University of Houston-Downtown
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Rank 7, 10-Yr ROI, $150,272, Houston Christian University
Houston Christian University
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Rank 8, 10-Yr ROI, $102,086, College of Biblical Studies-Houston
College of Biblical Studies-Houston
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Rank 9, 10-Yr ROI, $82,685, Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Houston, Texas (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $672, College of Biblical Studies-Houston
College of Biblical Studies-Houston
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Rank 2, Net Price, $10,542, University of Houston-Downtown
University of Houston-Downtown
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Rank 3, Net Price, $14,276, University of Houston
University of Houston
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Rank 4, Net Price, $13,370, Rice University
Rice University
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Rank 5, Net Price, $19,359, University of St Thomas
University of St Thomas
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Rank 6, Net Price, $15,563, University of Houston-Clear Lake
University of Houston-Clear Lake
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Rank 7, Net Price, $20,629, Houston Christian University
Houston Christian University
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Rank 8, Net Price, $16,590, Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
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Rank 9, Net Price, $32,209, Chamberlain University-Texas
Chamberlain University-Texas
Top 10 colleges in Houston, Texas by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 97.4%, Rice University
Rice University
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 87.0%, University of Houston
University of Houston
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 77.7%, University of St Thomas
University of St Thomas
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Rank 4, First-Year Retention, 74.4%, University of Houston-Clear Lake
University of Houston-Clear Lake
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Rank 5, First-Year Retention, 69.3%, Houston Christian University
Houston Christian University
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Rank 6, First-Year Retention, 67.1%, University of Houston-Downtown
University of Houston-Downtown
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Rank 7, First-Year Retention, 66.2%, Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
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Rank 8, First-Year Retention, 60.9%, Chamberlain University-Texas
Chamberlain University-Texas
In-state tuition: Houston, Texas vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Houston, Texas median in-state tuition is $13,920, +152.5% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Houston, Texas vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Houston, Texas is $12,000 (-10.7% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $11,012.
Median earnings (10 years out): Houston, Texas vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Houston, Texas center around $59,224 (+9.0% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Houston, Texas vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 87.5% at the median Houston, Texas campus (-0.4 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Houston, Texas median public in-state tuition is $13,920, about +152.5% vs the national median. Versus the Southwest region, tuition is +277.6%.
Median graduate debt is $12,000 (-10.7% below the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Houston, Texas are $59,224, about +9.0% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 87.5% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (-0.4 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 74.4% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 5.9% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 67.9% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of Houston (89.3%), Houston Christian University (88.5%), University of Houston-Clear Lake (87.7%), Texas Southern University (87.5%), University of Houston-Downtown (87.5%), Rice University (86.6%), Chamberlain University-Texas (86.5%), University of St Thomas (84.5%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Houston, Texas, sector medians diverge: Private nonprofit median 10-yr earnings $57,578 (4 campuses); Public median 10-yr earnings $60,690 (6 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Houston, Texas is 46.7% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Houston?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 60 campuses in Houston, Texas with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Houston?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Houston is $13,920 and median net price is $19,701. For Texas overall, medians are $3,555 and $8,031; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Houston?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Houston is $59,224 vs $54,274 for Texas and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Houston colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Houston is $12,000 vs $10,667 for Texas and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Houston?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include Rice University (graduation) and Chamberlain University-Texas (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Houston?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 60 campuses in Houston, Texas, 1 historically Black college or university (HBCU, IPEDS HBCU flag), including Texas Southern University; 35 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Vet Tech Institute of Houston, Houston Christian University, and University of Houston-Clear Lake; 3 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Baptist (1), Roman Catholic (1), Undenominational (1).
Sources & related
- Texas college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON