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Trinity University logo
Private nonprofit San Antonio, TX · Urban · Southwest · 100% data
A Selectivity A Earnings A- Graduation
Graduation Rate
83% A-
Most students who enroll finish their degree here
Earnings (10yr)
$71,668 A
Top 7% nationally — exceptional earning power
Net Price
$23,464 D+
37% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
26% A
Admits roughly 26% — highly selective
Earnings +76% vs avg
Graduation +45% vs avg
Net Price 37% vs avg
Mobility Top 66%

Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 21.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $21.6 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Business Colleges in Texas.

21.6× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $21.6 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,930,181.

What The Data Says

  1. A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Graduates earn 76% more than the national college median.

  3. A 83% graduation rate — 45% above the national average.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $21.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Economic Footprint

Inventor Rate
0.9%
Top 27%
Patents
49
Linked to graduates
Patent Citations
62
Downstream influence

Why Trinity University Matters

Trinity University is a private liberal arts college in San Antonio, TX and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by selective admissions, an unusually high rate of inventors and patents, and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 7% of all U.S. colleges.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private Liberal Arts College
Carnegie Class
Baccalaureate · Arts & Sciences
Enrollment
2,505
Setting
Urban
Designations
66
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Biology & Biomedical, Social Sciences, Computer Science & IT

Why students choose Trinity University

Strong STEM core
A heavy concentration in technical fields
Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Exceptional earning outcomes
Graduate earnings in the top 7% of colleges
Close mentorship
A small, undergraduate-focused community

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

B-
Top 35% overall
A
Earnings
$71,668 median
C+
Value
3.1× net price
D+
Affordability
$23,464/yr net
A-
Graduation
83% graduate
D+
Social Mobility
1.2% climb Q1→Q5
A
Selectivity
26% admit rate
B-
Diversity
0.67 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With an acceptance rate of 26%, Trinity University appeals to motivated students who seek a rigorous academic environment. Here, you’ll find a focus on programs like Business & Marketing, Biology & Biomedical, and Psychology. This mix attracts those who are not only looking to excel in their studies but also want to connect their education to real-world applications.

Once you graduate, the numbers show that you can expect solid earning potential, with a median salary of $71,668 after a decade in the workforce. This outcome suggests that students from Trinity tend to land good jobs in their chosen fields, which can make a significant difference in your life trajectory. The affordability of the school is also noteworthy, as the net price after aid stands at $23,464.

In terms of financial considerations, the median debt for graduates is $22,954, which is manageable compared to potential earnings. Students who thrive here are often those who value a tight-knit community and are eager to engage in a variety of disciplines. If you're looking for a supportive environment that encourages academic and personal growth, Trinity University could be a great fit for you.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Trinity University is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Trinity University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in San Antonio, Texas, Trinity University reviews applications selectively. The acceptance rate runs near 26%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,416. The graduation rate is roughly 83%.

Acceptance Rate
26%
Retention Rate
93%
SAT Average
1416
ACT Midpoint
31
SAT Range
1340–1500
ACT Range
31–34
Full-Time Faculty
79%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$12,354
Student–Faculty Ratio
9:1
Diversity Index
0.67
First-Gen Students
17%
Applicants
11,463
Admitted
3,497

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 Trinity University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Trinity University is $53,676, 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 $23,464. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,356 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $22,954 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$53,676
Out-of-State
$53,676
Avg Net Price
$23,464
Median Debt
$22,954
Pell Grant Rate
19%
Federal Loan Rate
44%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$10,356
Family Income $30K–$48K
$13,260
Family Income $48K–$75K
$14,305
Family Income $110K+
$34,549

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 Trinity University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Trinity University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Trinity University earn a median of $71,668, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

6 Years After Entry
$55,224
8 Years
$66,445
10 Years
$71,668
Debt-to-Earnings
0.32x
Earning > $25K
79%

Earnings Trajectory

$55,224 6yr $66,445 8yr $71,668 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (435)
67%
100% (435)
67%
100% (435)
67%
100% (435)
67%

How Trinity Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation83%Earnings 10yr$72KNet Price$23KRetention93%Median Debt$23KPell Grant Rate19%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$10K$0-30K$13K$30-48K$14K$48-75K$35K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%2.5%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%47.8%MOBILITY1.17%

College ROI Calculator

Is Trinity University Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Trinity University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $23,464/year ($93,856 total). Graduates earn $71,668 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,024,037 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,930,181 (21.6× your investment). The median debt is $22,954, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 83% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$93,856
Projected 20yr Earnings
$2,024,037
Net Return
$1,930,181
ROI Multiple
21.6×
Cost Per Year
$23,464
Median Debt
$22,954
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
83%

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 Trinity University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Trinity University is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.17%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower: only about 2.5% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 47.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $153,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.17%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
47.8%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
2.5%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$208,145
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Trinity 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 Trinity University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.79, 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 11% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.79
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
11.0%
Support Ratio
1.00
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Innovation & Knowledge Creation

Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education

Trinity University produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 49 patents tied to its graduates.

Inventor Rate
0.86%
Top 27% nationally
Patents Produced
49
Linked to graduates
Patent Citations
62
Downstream influence

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Federal Grants
$9,432,122

Top Programs

The fields Trinity 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.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Trinity University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in San Antonio, Texas, Trinity University reviews applications selectively. The acceptance rate runs near 26%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,416. The graduation rate is roughly 83%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Trinity University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Trinity University is $53,676, 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 $23,464. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,356 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $22,954 in federal student loans.

Is Trinity University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Trinity University earn a median of $71,668, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

Does Trinity University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Trinity University is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.17%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower: only about 2.5% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 47.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $153,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Trinity 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 Trinity University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.79, 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 11% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys