Texas Tech University
#5 Best Communications Colleges in Texas- Graduation Rate
- 68% B-
- Solid completion rate — most students graduate
- Earnings (10yr)
- $62,454 A-
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $19,070 C-
- Close to the national average
- Acceptance Rate
- 73% C+
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 20.2× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $20.2 over 20 years. Ranked #5 in Best Communications Colleges in Texas.
Every $1 spent returns $20.2 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,464,433.
What The Data Says
-
A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
-
Graduates earn 53% more than the national college median.
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Every $1 invested returns $20.2 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Economic Footprint
- World Rank
- #601-800
- Times Higher Education
- Research Score
- 17/100
- Times Higher Education
Why Texas Tech University Matters
Texas Tech University is a public research university in Lubbock, TX ranked #601-800 in the world by Times Higher Education, and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a top-tier research enterprise 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
- R1 · Very High Research
- Enrollment
- 32,394
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Communications, Engineering, Biology & Biomedical
Why students choose Texas Tech 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
Competitive — admits about 73% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1090–1280. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $19,070 a year after grants and scholarships — 11% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $62,454 ten years after enrolling — 53% above the typical college, against $21,500 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.6% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 45% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.70 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of nearly 32,400 students, Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX, caters well to those seeking a vibrant campus life and a variety of academic options. This school is particularly appealing for students interested in fields like Business & Marketing, Communications, Engineering, and Biology & Biomedical. The acceptance rate of 73% suggests that a broad range of students can find a place here, making it a solid choice for those looking to pursue their undergraduate studies in a supportive environment.
After graduation, students can expect to earn a median income of around $62,454 within ten years. This is a promising figure that reflects the potential for upward mobility, especially for graduates in high-demand fields. The affordability of education here is a significant factor, with a net price of $19,070 after aid. This balance between income potential and cost makes Texas Tech a smart option for many students.
Looking at the financial aspects, the median debt for graduates stands at $21,500, which is manageable in relation to their earning potential. The 28% of students who receive Pell Grants indicates a commitment to supporting those from lower-income backgrounds. Those who thrive at Texas Tech tend to be proactive, engaged, and ready to take advantage of the resources and opportunities available on campus.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Texas Tech 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 Tech University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Lubbock, Texas, Texas Tech University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 73%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,190. The graduation rate is roughly 68%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 73%
- Retention Rate
- 85%
- SAT Average
- 1190
- ACT Midpoint
- 26
- SAT Range
- 1090–1280
- ACT Range
- 23–28
- Full-Time Faculty
- 85%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $11,757
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 21:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.63
- First-Gen Students
- 32%
- Applicants
- 35,400
- Admitted
- 23,837
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25
The acceptance rate tells you how hard Texas Tech 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. 27% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school many admits weigh against other offers.
- Yield Rate
- 27%
- of admits enroll
- Submitted SAT
- 33%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Submitted ACT
- 11%
- of enrolled freshmen
Test-optional, in practice. Only about 44% 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 Tech University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Texas Tech University is $24,451, 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 $19,070. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $12,457 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,500 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $11,852
- Out-of-State
- $24,451
- Avg Net Price
- $19,070
- Median Debt
- $21,500
- Pell Grant Rate
- 28%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 41%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $12,457
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $13,851
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $17,058
- Family Income $110K+
- $24,622
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 Tech 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 Tech University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Texas Tech University earn a median of $62,454, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $52,588
- 8 Years
- $57,570
- 10 Years
- $62,454
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.34x
- Earning > $25K
- 77%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (2,051)
- 37%
- 100% (2,051)
- 37%
- 100% (2,051)
- 37%
- 100% (2,051)
- 37%
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 Tech University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Texas Tech University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $19,070/year ($76,280 total). Graduates earn $62,454 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,540,713 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,464,433 (20.2× your investment). The median debt is $21,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 68% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $76,280
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,540,713
- Net Return
- $1,464,433
- ROI Multiple
- 20.2×
- Cost Per Year
- $19,070
- Median Debt
- $21,500
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 68%
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 Tech University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Texas Tech 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 1.55%, well above the typical college. About 4.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 33.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $110,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.55%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 33.7%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 4.6%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $149,859
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
- Research Score
- 17/100
- Times Higher Ed
- Academic Influence
- 22/100
- Citation impact (THE)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-59,796,314
Top Programs
The fields Texas Tech 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 23% $78,897 early-career
- Communications 10% $48,108 early-career
- Engineering 9% $99,006 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 9% $48,083 early-career
- Psychology 4% $38,487 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 4% $87,406 early-career
- Education 4% $62,657 early-career
- Social Sciences 3% $53,433 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 Tech 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 Tech University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Lubbock, Texas, Texas Tech University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 73%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,190. The graduation rate is roughly 68%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Texas Tech University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Texas Tech University is $24,451, 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 $19,070. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $12,457 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,500 in federal student loans.
Is Texas Tech University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Texas Tech University earn a median of $62,454, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Texas Tech University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Texas Tech 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 1.55%, well above the typical college. About 4.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 33.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $110,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Texas Tech 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 Tech University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.70, 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.
How Research-Intensive Is Texas Tech University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
Times Higher Education places Texas Tech University at #601-800 worldwide. Its profile spans a research score of 17/100, teaching at 28/100, and citation impact of 22/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
Does Texas Tech University offer Early Decision?
No. Texas Tech University does not report a binding Early Decision plan (2024-25 Common Data Set).
Is Texas Tech University really test-optional?
In practice, yes. Only about 44% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at Texas Tech University (2024-25 Common Data Set).
What percentage of admitted students enroll at Texas Tech University?
About 27% of admitted students choose to enroll at Texas Tech University — its yield rate (2024-25 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Texas Tech University.
- Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeBaton Rouge, LA · Close peer70% grad $61,251 earn 73% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Oregon State UniversityCorvallis, OR · Close peer70% grad $64,010 earn 77% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL · Close peer74% grad $59,221 earn 77% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of HoustonHouston, TX · Close peer65% grad $62,377 earn 74% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of ArkansasFayetteville, AR · Close peer70% grad $58,191 earn 74% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of Missouri-ColumbiaColumbia, MO · Close peer76% grad $63,403 earn 78% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Texas Tech 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 Tech University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.70, 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