Texas State University
#4 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Texas- Graduation Rate
- 56% C
- About half of students who start complete their degree
- Earnings (10yr)
- $56,906 B+
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $16,805 C
- Close to the national average
- Acceptance Rate
- 89% D+
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 21.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $21.7 over 20 years. Ranked #4 in Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Texas.
Every $1 spent returns $21.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,389,358.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Earnings 40% above the national college median.
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Every $1 invested returns $21.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Texas State University Matters
Texas State University is a public research university in San Marcos, TX and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a strong research base and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R2 · High Research
- Enrollment
- 36,177
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Communications, Visual & Performing Arts, Psychology
Why students choose Texas State University
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Accessible — admits about 89% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 980–1200. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $16,805 a year after grants and scholarships — 2% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $56,906 ten years after enrolling — 40% above the typical college, against $21,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.5% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 49% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.67 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of nearly 36,200 students, Texas State University in San Marcos offers a welcoming environment for those looking for a large public university experience. It’s particularly suited for students interested in fields like Business, Communications, Psychology, Health Professions, and the Visual & Performing Arts. The 89% acceptance rate indicates a broad opportunity for students to join a diverse community, making it an attractive choice for many.
After graduation, students can expect to earn around $56,906 within ten years, which is a solid starting point as they step into their careers. While the graduation rate sits at 56%, this can reflect the diverse backgrounds and challenges that many students face. For those who receive Pell Grants, which is about 37% of the student body, the affordability of education can play a crucial role in their journey.
When it comes to the financial aspect, the net price after aid is approximately $16,805, which is manageable compared to many other institutions. Graduates leave with a median debt of $21,000, a figure that is reasonably attainable for most. Students who succeed here often thrive in a supportive environment, navigating their educational paths with a mix of ambition and community engagement.
Rankings
- #4 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Texas
- #4 Best Communications Colleges in Texas
- #9 Best Online Colleges in Texas
- #9 Best Education Colleges in Texas
- #11 Best Bachelor's Programs in Texas
- #11 Best Master's Programs in Texas
- #11 Best Computer Science Colleges in Texas
- #11 Best Data Science Colleges in Texas
Can I Get In?
How selective Texas State University is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Texas State University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Texas State University, located in San Marcos, Texas, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 89%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,103. The graduation rate is roughly 56%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 89%
- Retention Rate
- 80%
- SAT Average
- 1103
- ACT Midpoint
- 22
- SAT Range
- 980–1200
- ACT Range
- 19–25
- Full-Time Faculty
- 79%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $9,186
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 21:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.69
- First-Gen Students
- 36%
- Applicants
- 28,908
- Admitted
- 25,353
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25
The acceptance rate tells you how hard Texas State University is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds.
- Submitted SAT
- 41%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Submitted ACT
- 6%
- of enrolled freshmen
Test-optional, in practice. Only about 47% of enrolled freshmen submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive here, not a long shot.
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Texas State University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Texas State University is $22,930, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $16,805. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $12,715 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $11,450
- Out-of-State
- $22,930
- Avg Net Price
- $16,805
- Median Debt
- $21,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 37%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 41%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $12,715
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $13,557
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $13,804
- Family Income $110K+
- $24,713
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Texas State University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Texas State University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Texas State University earn a median of $56,906, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $46,716
- 8 Years
- $52,554
- 10 Years
- $56,906
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.37x
- Earning > $25K
- 72%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (1,636)
- 31%
- 100% (1,636)
- 31%
- 100% (1,636)
- 31%
- 100% (1,636)
- 31%
How Texas Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Texas State University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Texas State University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $16,805/year ($67,220 total). Graduates earn $56,906 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,456,578 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,389,358 (21.7× your investment). The median debt is $21,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 56% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $67,220
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,456,578
- Net Return
- $1,389,358
- ROI Multiple
- 21.7×
- Cost Per Year
- $16,805
- Median Debt
- $21,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 56%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Texas State University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Texas State University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.49%, well above the typical college. About 6.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 24.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $100,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.49%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 24.4%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 6.1%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $137,088
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
Top Programs
The fields Texas State University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Business & Marketing 16% $55,595 early-career
- Communications 10% $43,055 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 8% $50,714 early-career
- Psychology 8% $35,710 early-career
- Health Professions 8% $71,537 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 5% $85,875 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 5% $48,136 early-career
- Education 4% $60,427 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Texas State University's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Texas State University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Texas State University, located in San Marcos, Texas, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 89%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,103. The graduation rate is roughly 56%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Texas State University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Texas State University is $22,930, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $16,805. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $12,715 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,000 in federal student loans.
Is Texas State University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Texas State University earn a median of $56,906, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Texas State University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Texas State University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.49%, well above the typical college. About 6.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 24.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $100,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Texas State University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Texas State University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.67, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Does Texas State University offer Early Decision?
No. Texas State University does not report a binding Early Decision plan (2024-25 Common Data Set).
Is Texas State University really test-optional?
In practice, yes. Only about 47% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at Texas State University (2024-25 Common Data Set).
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Texas State University.
- University of ArizonaTucson, AZ · Close peer67% grad $59,979 earn 86% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- University of North TexasDenton, TX · Close peer60% grad $57,010 earn 72% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, AZ · Close peer59% grad $54,384 earn 90% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Georgia Southern UniversityStatesboro, GA · Close peer53% grad $53,236 earn 88% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of Nebraska-LincolnLincoln, NE · Close peer66% grad $56,887 earn 87% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar net price
- East Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC · Close peer62% grad $55,146 earn 89% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Texas State University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Texas State University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.67, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note