State rankings

Best colleges in Texas, ranked by ROI

Name: Texas colleges — cost, earnings and ROI rankings
Creator: Degree Dividend

By the Degree Dividend editorial data teamEvery figure verified against its federal source — methodologyData updated June 2026

We rank all 213 Texas institutions we profile by payback years — total net cost divided by earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The state's median net price is $19,359/yr (above the $16,902 national median), and its graduates earn a median $40,873 ten years out (below the $43,549 national median). Rice University leads, clearing its cost in 1.3 years. (Scorecard, 2026.)

$19,359

Median net price / yr

Scorecard, 2026

$40,873

Median earnings, 10 yrs

Scorecard, 2026

9.8 yrs

Median payback

Our math, 2026

213

Colleges ranked

degreedividend.com

Texas colleges by payback (best first)

#	College	Net price/yr	Earnings 10y	Payback
1	Rice University	$13,370	$89,718	1.3 yrs
2	Chamberlain University-Texas	$32,209	$92,405	2.9 yrs
3	The University of Texas at Austin	$19,857	$75,121	3 yrs
4	Texas A&M University-College Station	$21,315	$72,097	3.6 yrs
5	The University of Texas at Dallas	$18,267	$68,227	3.7 yrs
6	The University of Texas at Arlington	$13,951	$63,199	3.8 yrs
7	West Coast University-Texas	$53,020	$102,672	3.9 yrs
8	Trinity University	$23,464	$71,668	4 yrs
9	University of Houston	$14,276	$62,377	4.1 yrs
10	Galen College of Nursing-San Antonio	$29,104	$61,480	4.4 yrs
11	Galen Health Institutes-Austin Campus	$30,187	$61,480	4.6 yrs
12	Galen Health Institutes-Houston	$30,222	$61,480	4.6 yrs
13	Galen Health Institutes-Dallas	$30,998	$61,480	4.7 yrs
14	The University of Texas at San Antonio	$10,836	$57,131	4.9 yrs
15	Texas A&M University-Victoria	$8,109	$54,467	5.3 yrs
16	Texas Tech University	$19,070	$62,454	5.4 yrs
17	Southern Methodist University	$40,892	$78,354	5.5 yrs
18	Texas Woman's University	$11,963	$56,544	5.8 yrs
19	University of Houston-Clear Lake	$15,563	$59,004	5.8 yrs
20	The University of Texas at Tyler	$13,323	$57,053	6.1 yrs
21	Midwestern State University	$11,656	$55,747	6.3 yrs
22	Austin College	$21,107	$61,296	6.5 yrs
23	The University of Texas Permian Basin	$12,723	$56,073	6.6 yrs
24	Center for Advanced Legal Studies	$13,959	$56,561	6.8 yrs
25	University of St Thomas	$19,359	$59,224	7.1 yrs
26	University of North Texas	$15,649	$57,010	7.2 yrs
27	Texas Christian University	$36,660	$68,424	7.3 yrs
28	Concordia University Texas	$23,131	$60,883	7.4 yrs
29	Texas A&M University-San Antonio	$11,196	$54,338	7.5 yrs
30	Texas State University	$16,805	$56,906	7.9 yrs
31	University of Houston-Downtown	$10,542	$53,551	8.1 yrs
32	University of Dallas	$22,610	$58,285	9.1 yrs
33	Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Houston	$23,529	$58,327	9.4 yrs
34	Baylor University	$41,104	$65,793	9.4 yrs
35	Saint Edward's University	$25,578	$58,826	9.8 yrs
36	St. Mary's University	$21,145	$56,955	9.8 yrs
37	Houston Christian University	$20,629	$55,933	10.9 yrs
38	University of the Incarnate Word	$22,775	$56,733	10.9 yrs
39	Sam Houston State University	$16,404	$54,211	11.2 yrs
40	Hardin-Simmons University	$19,555	$54,771	12.2 yrs
41	Abilene Christian University-Undergraduate Online	$23,698	$55,736	12.9 yrs
42	LeTourneau University	$28,185	$57,103	12.9 yrs
43	University of Mary Hardin-Baylor	$26,106	$56,132	13.4 yrs
44	Dallas Baptist University	$28,516	$56,807	13.5 yrs
45	Southwestern University	$29,224	$56,878	13.7 yrs
46	Abilene Christian University	$26,182	$55,736	14.2 yrs
47	The University of Texas at El Paso	$9,403	$50,923	14.7 yrs
48	The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley	$4,831	$49,620	15.3 yrs
49	Texas A&M University-Kingsville	$12,090	$51,450	15.7 yrs
50	Texas Wesleyan University	$24,066	$54,053	16.9 yrs
51	Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi	$15,225	$51,865	17.4 yrs
52	Tarleton State University	$20,783	$53,040	17.8 yrs
53	Texas Lutheran University	$24,654	$53,863	17.9 yrs
54	Lubbock Christian University	$24,456	$53,787	18 yrs
55	Universal Technical Institute-Dallas Fort Worth	$26,265	$51,222	18.4 yrs
56	Southwestern Adventist University	$22,778	$52,946	19.9 yrs
57	East Texas Baptist University	$23,911	$52,788	21.6 yrs
58	Schreiner University	$21,507	$52,228	22.2 yrs
59	Wayland Baptist University	$20,590	$51,838	23.7 yrs
60	East Texas A&M University	$11,841	$50,296	24.5 yrs
61	Lamar University	$9,366	$49,652	29 yrs
62	Universal Technical Institute of Texas Inc.	$23,096	$51,222	32.3 yrs
63	West Texas A & M University	$19,487	$50,741	32.7 yrs
64	Angelo State University	$15,091	$50,116	34.4 yrs
65	Universal Technical Institute-West Texas	$26,117	$51,222	36.5 yrs
66	Stephen F Austin State University	$14,260	$49,634	44.8 yrs
67	Collin County Community College District	$8,969	$48,701	52.6 yrs
68	McMurry University	$19,581	$48,779	186.9 yrs
69	Our Lady of the Lake University	$16,442	$48,675	208.8 yrs
70	Texas A & M International University	$3,637	$48,386	559.5 yrs
71	Howard Payne University	$23,627	$48,376	5906.8 yrs
72	Blinn College District	$10,844	$46,318	no payback
73	North Central Texas College	$6,587	$45,809	no payback
74	Brazosport College	$4,732	$45,910	no payback
75	Alvin Community College	$8,525	$45,762	no payback
76	Wharton County Junior College	$4,666	$44,960	no payback
77	Dallas Institute of Funeral Service	$22,825	$45,866	no payback
78	Midland College	$4,512	$43,958	no payback
79	Texas A&M University-Texarkana	$12,997	$45,515	no payback
80	Prairie View A & M University	$13,570	$45,411	no payback
81	Austin Community College District	$6,390	$43,177	no payback
82	Tarrant County College District	$4,337	$42,727	no payback
83	Western Texas College	$3,562	$42,508	no payback
84	Victoria College	$3,043	$42,382	no payback
85	Northwest Vista College	$4,525	$42,490	no payback
86	Nelson University	$21,662	$46,238	no payback
87	San Jacinto Community College	$12,143	$43,062	no payback
88	Texas Southmost College	$3,085	$41,900	no payback
89	Weatherford College	$9,967	$42,397	no payback
90	Dallas College	$3,214	$41,714	no payback
91	Odessa College	$6,368	$42,026	no payback
92	Lone Star College System	$11,252	$42,466	no payback
93	Amarillo College	$4,600	$41,302	no payback
94	Lee College	$6,879	$42,178	no payback
95	South Plains College	$6,791	$41,276	no payback
96	Central Texas College	$10,265	$40,995	no payback
97	Vernon College	$6,404	$40,464	no payback
98	Lincoln College of Technology-Grand Prairie	$33,250	$46,396	no payback
99	Grayson College	$5,880	$40,873	no payback
100	Arlington Baptist University	$24,906	$44,644	no payback
101	College of the Mainland	$1,342	$39,639	no payback
102	San Antonio College	$4,585	$39,711	no payback
103	Sul Ross State University	$13,286	$41,871	no payback
104	CCI Training Center-Arlington	$8,390	$40,829	no payback
105	College of Biblical Studies-Houston	$672	$39,260	no payback
106	Huston-Tillotson University	$19,719	$42,937	no payback
107	Dallas Christian College	$22,960	$43,503	no payback
108	Hill College	$7,577	$39,572	no payback
109	Houston City College	$5,737	$39,254	no payback
110	McLennan Community College	$5,051	$39,163	no payback
111	The King's University	$14,140	$41,471	no payback
112	Del Mar College	$3,399	$38,656	no payback
113	Trinity Valley Community College	$4,092	$38,567	no payback
114	Clarendon College	$8,390	$38,696	no payback
115	Howard College	$6,147	$38,382	no payback
116	Hallmark University	$12,513	$40,183	no payback
117	Temple College	$10,682	$38,678	no payback
118	Kilgore College	$5,364	$37,975	no payback
119	St Philip's College	$4,273	$38,224	no payback
120	Navarro College	$14,820	$38,716	no payback
121	Cisco College	$9,624	$39,092	no payback
122	Tyler Junior College	$10,206	$38,140	no payback
123	Palo Alto College	$4,463	$37,448	no payback
124	Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Dallas	$27,139	$42,375	no payback
125	South Texas College	$1,751	$36,788	no payback
126	Lamar State College-Port Arthur	$2,846	$37,120	no payback
127	Northeast Texas Community College	$6,706	$37,870	no payback
128	Parker University	$29,135	$42,091	no payback
129	Lamar State College-Orange	$1,655	$36,587	no payback
130	Lamar Institute of Technology	$13,866	$38,991	no payback
131	Texas State Technical College	$13,508	$38,916	no payback
132	Angelina College	$7,773	$37,301	no payback
133	Paris Junior College	$7,690	$36,515	no payback
134	Texas Southern University	$16,590	$38,924	no payback
135	Frank Phillips College	$7,953	$37,179	no payback
136	Galveston College	$8,412	$37,233	no payback
137	Panola College	$5,216	$36,072	no payback
138	Ranger College	$6,182	$35,552	no payback
139	El Paso Community College	$3,206	$35,212	no payback
140	Coastal Bend College	$4,237	$35,086	no payback
141	Wade College	$20,778	$36,657	no payback
142	Pima Medical Institute-Houston	$21,396	$38,673	no payback
143	Concorde Career College-Grand Prairie	$31,288	$40,648	no payback
144	Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Austin	$19,564	$36,330	no payback
145	Pima Medical Institute-San Antonio	$21,882	$38,673	no payback
146	Vet Tech Institute of Houston	$14,714	$35,765	no payback
147	Tulsa Welding School-Dallas Campus	$34,533	$41,067	no payback
148	Southwest Texas College	$7,372	$35,563	no payback
149	Tulsa Welding School-Houston	$35,101	$41,067	no payback
150	Pima Medical Institute-El Paso	$23,412	$38,673	no payback
151	Texarkana College	$8,812	$34,647	no payback
152	The College of Health Care Professions-Dallas	$27,411	$38,922	no payback
153	The College of Health Care Professions-Austin	$27,575	$38,922	no payback
154	Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service	$44,047	$37,786	no payback
155	Western Technical College	$28,004	$36,156	no payback
156	Laredo College	$5,798	$33,934	no payback
157	Lamson Institute	$26,587	$38,015	no payback
158	Arlington Career Institute	$24,633	$36,674	no payback
159	Wiley University	$7,092	$33,159	no payback
160	Texas College	$10,958	$33,752	no payback
161	Jarvis Christian University	$9,825	$32,992	no payback
162	PCI Health Training Center	$20,368	$34,096	no payback
163	Fortis Institute	$18,332	$33,193	no payback
164	South University-Austin	$25,680	$34,421	no payback
165	Culinary Institute Inc	$30,428	$32,195	no payback
166	Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-San Antonio	$20,491	$32,162	no payback
167	Southwest University at El Paso	$16,906	$29,648	no payback
168	The College of Health Care Professions-McAllen Campus	$25,829	$33,070	no payback
169	South Texas Vocational Technical Institute-Brownsville	$16,277	$31,102	no payback
170	Fortis College	$27,964	$33,193	no payback
171	The College of Health Care Professions-Fort Worth	$27,606	$33,070	no payback
172	South Texas Vocational Technical Institute-Weslaco	$17,925	$31,102	no payback
173	The College of Health Care Professions-Northwest	$27,830	$33,070	no payback
174	The College of Health Care Professions-San Antonio	$28,106	$33,070	no payback
175	The College of Health Care Professions-Southwest Houston	$28,471	$33,070	no payback
176	The College of Health Care Professions-South San Antonio	$28,829	$33,070	no payback
177	Ogle School Hair Skin Nails-Arlington	$19,447	$31,055	no payback
178	Ogle School Hair Skin Nails-Hurst	$21,792	$31,488	no payback
179	College of Health Care Professions	$29,837	$33,070	no payback
180	Miller-Motte College-STVT-McAllen	$20,008	$31,102	no payback
181	Miller-Motte College-STVT-San Antonio	$20,077	$31,102	no payback
182	Ogle School Hair Skin Nails-Willowbrook	$22,143	$31,488	no payback
183	Miller-Motte College-STVT-Corpus Christi	$20,477	$31,102	no payback
184	Arizona College of Nursing-Dallas	$38,488	$34,657	no payback
185	Ogle School Hair Skin Nails-San Antonio	$21,050	$31,055	no payback
186	Ogle School Hair Skin Nails-Stafford	$23,220	$31,488	no payback
187	Paul Quinn College	$12,709	$29,288	no payback
188	Ogle School Hair Skin Nails-Denton	$22,246	$31,055	no payback
189	Miller-Motte College-STVT-Arlington	$22,520	$31,102	no payback
190	Collectiv Hair Dressing Academy-Collectiv Academy-Dallas	$18,663	$29,334	no payback
191	Remington College-Dallas Campus	$29,805	$31,349	no payback
192	Avenue Five Institute	$29,253	$30,280	no payback
193	Paul Mitchell the School-Arlington	$24,060	$28,693	no payback
194	Milan Institute-Amarillo	$28,468	$29,491	no payback
195	Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville	$17,864	$27,035	no payback
196	Northwest Educational Center	$11,265	$25,442	no payback
197	Southern Careers Institute-Pharr	$21,833	$27,035	no payback
198	Paul Mitchell the School-San Antonio	$30,294	$28,693	no payback
199	Ogle School Hair Skin Nails-Dallas	$21,797	$26,885	no payback
200	Ogle School Hair Skin Nails-Ft Worth	$22,146	$26,885	no payback
201	Paul Mitchell the School-Houston	$24,814	$27,384	no payback
202	Ogle School Hair Skin Nails-North Dallas	$22,774	$26,885	no payback
203	Southern Careers Institute-Harlingen	$23,724	$27,035	no payback
204	Paul Mitchell the School-Dallas	$33,369	$28,693	no payback
205	Southern Careers Institute-Austin	$25,660	$27,035	no payback
206	Southern Careers Institute-San Antonio	$27,306	$27,035	no payback
207	Tint School of Makeup and Cosmetology-Dallas	$25,080	$26,381	no payback
208	Southern Careers Institute-Corpus Christi	$29,343	$27,035	no payback
209	Southern Careers Institute-San Antonio	$29,458	$27,035	no payback
210	Milan Institute-San Antonio Ingram	$27,022	$24,879	no payback
211	Milan Institute of Cosmetology-San Antonio Military	$17,941	$22,378	no payback
212	Milan Institute of Cosmetology-El Paso	$26,656	$22,378	no payback
213	Career Schools of Texas	$28,639	$21,262	no payback

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · ranking and payback are our math. Payback uses institution-wide earnings; a specific major can rank very differently.

Colleges in Texas: frequently asked questions

Which college has the best ROI in Texas?

Rice University. It charges $13,370/yr after aid and its graduates earn a median $89,718 ten years out, clearing the cost in about 1.3 years — the fastest payback of the 213 Texas colleges we track.

How much does college cost in Texas?

The median net price across Texas colleges is $19,359/yr after grants and scholarships — above the $16,902 national median. That is the actual price the typical aided student pays, not the published sticker.

What do Texas college graduates earn?

A median $40,873 ten years after entry (Scorecard), below the $43,549 national median. Earnings vary widely by school and major — see each college's profile for its own figure.

How many Texas colleges pay for themselves?

71 of the 213 Texas colleges we track clear their cost on institution-wide earnings above the high-school baseline. The rest need a high-ROI major to pay off — the school average alone does not.