Arlington, Texas Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Arlington, Texas: median public in-state tuition $16,390 (+197.3% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $53,922 (-0.8% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 88.6% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $8,505 (-35.9% vs U.S.) 34,674 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 9 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 34,674 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $16,390 (+197.3% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $53,922 (-0.8% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 88.6% (+0.6 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $22,520 (+125.9% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $8,505 (-35.9% vs U.S. $13,271); regional median $11,004
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 36.7%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 57.1%
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Overview
Colleges and universities in Arlington serve students across Texas with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 9 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 34,674 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $16,390. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Arlington, Texas and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Arlington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington, Texas | $16,390 | $22,520 | $8,505 | 36.7% | 34,674 |
| Texas (state median) | $3,555 | $8,031 | $10,652 | 45.0% | 1,240,605 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Arlington, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington, Texas | $53,922 | 88.6% | 57.1% | 5.3% | — | 64.2% | 0.44 |
| Texas (state median) | $54,338 | 89.8% | 69.6% | 6.9% | — | 69.4% | 0.40 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington, Texas | $16,390 | $22,520 | $8,505 | 36.7% | 34,674 | $53,922 | 88.6% |
| Houston | $12,445 | $19,626 | $11,533 | 46.7% | 137,452 | $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 | $17,692 | $22,774 | $12,785 | 50.0% | 62,146 | $42,797 | 87.6% |
| Dallas | $17,692 | $22,774 | $12,785 | 50.0% | 62,146 | $42,797 | 87.6% |
| Dallas | $17,692 | $22,774 | $12,785 | 50.0% | 62,146 | $42,797 | 87.6% |
| Fort Worth | $11,934 | $24,181 | $15,500 | 31.5% | 57,100 | $61,238 | 90.7% |
| El Paso | $9,744 | $16,242 | $11,000 | 65.5% | 50,598 | $50,923 | 89.2% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Top college in Arlington, 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, 54.0%, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Top college in Arlington, 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, 91.4%, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Most selective college in Arlington, 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, 79.9%, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Top college in Arlington, 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, $85,513, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Top college in Arlington, 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, $109,197, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Top college in Arlington, 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, $60,902, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Top college in Arlington, 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, $63,000, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Top college in Arlington, 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, $63,199, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Top 2 colleges in Arlington, 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, $242,396, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $70,045, Arlington Baptist University
Arlington Baptist University
Most affordable college in Arlington, 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, $13,951, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Top college in Arlington, 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, 72.9%, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
In-state tuition: Arlington, Texas vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Arlington, Texas median in-state tuition is $16,390, +197.3% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Arlington, Texas vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Arlington, Texas is $8,505 (-35.9% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $11,004.
Median earnings (10 years out): Arlington, Texas vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Arlington, Texas center around $53,922 (-0.8% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Arlington, Texas vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 88.6% at the median Arlington, Texas campus (+0.6 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
Arlington, Texas median public in-state tuition is $16,390, about +197.3% vs the national median. Versus the Southwest region, tuition is +344.7%.
Median graduate debt is $8,505 (-35.9% below the U.S. median of $13,271). 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 Arlington, Texas are $53,922, about -0.8% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 88.6% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 88.0% (+0.6 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 57.1% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 5.3% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 64.2% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include The University of Texas at Arlington (91.4%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Arlington, Texas is 36.7% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Arlington?
This city profile covers 9 campuses in Arlington, Texas with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Arlington?
Median in-state tuition in Arlington is $16,390 and median net price is $22,520. For Texas overall, medians are $3,555 and $8,031; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Arlington?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Arlington is $53,922 vs $54,338 for Texas and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Arlington colleges?
Median completer debt in Arlington is $8,505 vs $10,652 for Texas and $13,271 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Arlington?
Top campuses on this page include The University of Texas at Arlington (graduation) and The University of Texas at Arlington (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Arlington?
Among 9 campuses in Arlington, Texas, 5 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Arlington Baptist University, Arlington Career Institute, and Ogle School Hair Skin Nails-Arlington; 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Baptist (1).
Sources & related
- Texas college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON