Arlington, Texas Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Arlington, Texas shows: median public in-state tuition $16,390 (+197.3% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $53,922 (-0.7% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 88.6% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $8,505 (-36.7% 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 (-0.7% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 88.6% (+0.7 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $22,520 (+126.0% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $8,505 (-36.7% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $11,012
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 36.7%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 57.1%
Download the data
Full profile payload including top-college lists and peer comparisons.
Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Arlington, Texas—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against 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 | $10,667 | 45.2% | 1,239,434 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
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) | $54,274 | 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington, Texas | $16,390 | $22,520 | $8,505 | 36.7% | 34,674 | $53,922 | 88.6% |
| Houston | $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% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges 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.
-
Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 54.0%, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Top 10 colleges 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.
-
Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 91.4%, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Top 10 most selective colleges 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.
-
Rank 1, Admission Rate, 79.9%, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Top 10 colleges 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.
-
Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $85,513, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Top 10 colleges 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.
-
Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $109,197, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Top 10 colleges 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.
-
Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $60,902, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Top 10 colleges 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.
-
Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $63,000, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Top 10 colleges 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.
-
Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $63,199, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Top 10 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.
-
Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $235,976, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
-
Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $51,580, Arlington Baptist University
Arlington Baptist University
Top 10 most affordable colleges 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.
-
Rank 1, Net Price, $13,951, The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington
Top 10 colleges 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.
-
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 (-36.7% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $11,012.
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 (-0.7% 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 (+0.7 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 (-36.7% 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 Arlington, Texas are $53,922, about -0.7% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
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 87.9% (+0.7 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 76.3%—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%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Arlington?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 9 campuses in Arlington, Texas with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Arlington?
EDsmart Data analysis: 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 $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Arlington?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Arlington is $53,922 vs $54,274 for Texas and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Arlington colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Arlington is $8,505 vs $10,667 for Texas and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Arlington?
EDsmart Data analysis: 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?
EDsmart Data analysis: 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