University of Houston Acceptance Rate & Tuition (2026)
University of Houston is a public research university in Houston, Texas, enrolling about 38,380 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 73.92% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $62,377 among students who received federal aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $9,717
- 2024 Average Net Price: $14,276 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: 73.92% Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 38,380 76.7% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 64.56%
- Carnegie Classification: Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
- First-Generation Students: 40.5%
- Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 0.1% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Net price trend: Average net price decrease of 0.3% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Full-Time Faculty: 79.8%
- Average SAT Score: 1250
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 43,360
- Applicants (IPEDS): 30,327
- Room & Board: $11,286 annual estimate
University of Houston: what the data shows
Common questions about University of Houston, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is University of Houston?
University of Houston is located in Houston, TX (ZIP 77204-2018).
NCES locale classification: City.
Is University of Houston public or private?
University of Houston is a Public institution.
How much does University of Houston cost?
Published tuition: $9,717 in-state, $22,547 out-of-state.
Average net price after aid: $14,276.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $10,929 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $10,220 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $12,528 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $19,197 |
| $110,001+ | $23,811 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $38,868.
How hard is it to get into University of Houston?
Admission rate: 73.92%.
Among enrollees who submitted scores: average SAT 1250 and midpoint ACT 26.
Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
How big is University of Houston?
Total enrollment: 38,380 students.
Undergraduate enrollment: 43,360 students.
Graduate enrollment: 8,723 students.
About 77% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at University of Houston?
150%-time completion rate: 64.56%.
First-year retention: 87.0%.
What do graduates of University of Houston earn?
Median earnings: $52,768 six years after entry; $62,377 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $18,194.
41.65% of students receive Pell grants.
What is University of Houston known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Psychology, General (748 completions)
- Computer and Information Sciences, General (515 completions)
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General (497 completions)
- Business Administration and Management, General (475 completions)
- Finance, General (420 completions)
- Management Information Systems, General (389 completions)
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General (387 completions)
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology (313 completions)
- Health and Wellness, General (303 completions)
- Accounting (296 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is University of Houston a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 73.92%; completion rate 64.56%; median earnings $62,377 at 10 years; net price $14,276. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition Costs
$9,717
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at University of Houston was $9,717.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$14,276
2024 Value
In 2024 University of Houston had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $14,276.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$57,104 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$14,276 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$38,868 4-Year In-State Tuition
$90,188 4-Year Out-of-State Tuition
$11,286 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)
$1,430 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)
$22,433 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)
$89,732 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)
4-year total cost breakdown for University of Houston.
Financial Aid by Income Level
41.65% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
31.68% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at University of Houston 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 University of Houston 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 | $8,401 | $16,897 | $12,822 |
| 2014 | $8,605 | $19,693 | $13,028 |
| 2015 | $8,759 | $20,519 | $14,134 |
| 2016 | $9,519 | $21,711 | $15,399 |
| 2017 | $9,706 | $22,066 | $16,392 |
| 2018 | $8,913 | $21,273 | $16,161 |
| 2019 | $9,221 | $21,749 | $12,838 |
| 2020 | $9,457 | $21,673 | $13,721 |
| 2021 | $9,699 | $21,891 | $13,798 |
| 2022 | $9,699 | $21,891 | $13,900 |
| 2023 | $9,711 | $22,191 | $13,853 |
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.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Acceptance Rate
73.92% Acceptance Rate
30,327 Total Applicants
21,087 Students Admitted
5,652 First-Time Students Enrolled
26.80% Yield (enrolled ÷ admitted)
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
SAT Average: 1250
ACT Average: 26
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
Estimated GPA Range: 3.3 - 3.5
Estimated Median GPA: 3.40
Note: GPA requirements are estimated based on admission selectivity and test scores. Actual requirements may vary.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
University of Houston reported total enrollment of about 38,380 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 48% male and 52% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (38.1%), Asian (23.1%), and White (16.4%). About 41.65% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 40.5% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
76.7% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at University of Houston in 2024 is 38,380 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 43,360 students. Graduate enrollment is about 8,723 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
87.0%
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
The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is Hispanic or Latino at 38.1%.
Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).
College Scorecard student demographics.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
42.82% 100% Completion Time
64.56% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 42.82% of students graduating from University of Houston completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Psychology, General: 20% male / 80% female
- Computer and Information Sciences, General: 75% male / 25% female
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General: 35% male / 65% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: Hispanic or Latino.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for University of Houston.
Return on Investment
$18,194 Median Student Debt
$62,377 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
29.17% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
992.34% Return on Investment
2.9 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for University of Houston.
Top Programs by Completions
10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 151 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
1. Psychology, General: 748 completions
2. Computer and Information Sciences, General: 515 completions
3. Marketing/Marketing Management, General: 497 completions
4. Business Administration and Management, General: 475 completions
5. Finance, General: 420 completions
6. Management Information Systems, General: 389 completions
7. Biology/Biological Sciences, General: 387 completions
8. Exercise Science and Kinesiology: 313 completions
9. Health and Wellness, General: 303 completions
Most popular programs at University of Houston.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for University of Houston graduates.
Operations
Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for University of Houston from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 79.8%
- Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $13,242
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $9,920
Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
About
University of Houston is a public institution located in Houston, TX, classified as Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Psychology, General, Computer and Information Sciences, General, Marketing/Marketing Management, General. Enrollment is approximately 38,380 students. Student body composition includes Hispanic or Latino (38.1%), Asian (23.1%), White (16.4%). The admission rate is 73.92%. Average SAT scores for admitted students are 1250. The 150%-time completion rate is 64.56%. Approximately 41.65% of students receive Pell Grants. About 40.5% of students are first-generation college students.
Institution Type
Public
Carnegie Classification: Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
Location
Houston, TX 77204-2018
Region: Southwest
Insights and Analysis
Diverse Program Offerings: With over 151 distinct degree programs, University of Houston provides students with a wide range of academic options. This diversity allows students to explore various fields and find programs that align with their interests and career goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is University of Houston located?
University of Houston is located in Houston, TX.
What is University of Houston's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at University of Houston is 73.9% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 30,327 applicants and 21,087 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
How much does University of Houston cost?
Reported tuition is $9,717 and average net price is $14,276 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $11,286 annually.
What is the student body demographics at University of Houston?
University of Houston reports undergraduate enrollment of about 43,360 students, Hispanic or Latino (38.1%), Asian (23.1%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend University of Houston?
About 40.5% of students at University of Houston are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for University of Houston?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, University of Houston reports midpoint SAT about 1250 and midpoint ACT about 26.
What do graduates of University of Houston earn?
Median earnings are $52,768 six years after entry and $62,377 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at University of Houston?
The 150%-time completion rate is 64.6% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do University of Houston students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $18,194.
Is University of Houston public or private?
University of Houston is a public institution located in Houston, TX.
Is University of Houston an HBCU?
No. University of Houston is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is University of Houston a tribal college?
No. University of Houston is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
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
- Texas college costs
- Texas colleges by ROI
- Houston, Texas city profile
- Southwest regional profile
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in Texas
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 for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.