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University of the Incarnate Word

Private nonprofit San Antonio, TX · Urban · Southwest · 100% data
A- Social Mobility B+ Earnings C Value
Graduation Rate
51% C-
About half of students who start complete their degree
Earnings (10yr)
$56,733 B+
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$22,775 D+
33% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
98% F
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings +39% vs avg
Graduation -10% vs avg
Net Price 33% vs avg
Mobility Top 13%

Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 15.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $15.4 over 20 years.

15.4× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $15.4 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,314,598.

What The Data Says

  1. A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Earnings 39% above the national college median.

  3. Social mobility rate of 2.83% — an engine of upward economic mobility.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $15.4 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why University of the Incarnate Word Matters

University of the Incarnate Word is a private doctoral / professional university in San Antonio, TX and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. 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
Private Doctoral / Professional University
Carnegie Class
Doctoral/Professional
Enrollment
4,440
Setting
Urban
Designations
HSI · 30
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Visual & Performing Arts, Psychology

Why students choose University of the Incarnate Word

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Engine of upward mobility
A strong record of moving students up the income ladder
Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

C
Top 47% overall
B+
Earnings
$56,733 median
C
Value
2.5× net price
D+
Affordability
$22,775/yr net
C-
Graduation
51% graduate
A-
Social Mobility
2.8% climb Q1→Q5
F
Selectivity
98% admit rate
C-
Diversity
0.54 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 98%, the University of the Incarnate Word is an accessible choice for students who value a supportive environment. This school is particularly well-suited for those interested in fields like Business & Marketing, Health Professions, and Psychology, among others. The emphasis on practical, career-oriented programs helps students prepare for the job market while fostering a sense of community.

Looking at life after graduation, students can expect to earn around $56,733 a year within a decade. This figure indicates that many graduates find stability and success in their chosen careers. Financially, the university is relatively affordable, especially considering that 45% of students receive Pell Grants, which can help ease the burden of tuition costs.

When it comes to the bottom line, the average net price after financial aid is about $22,775, with a median debt load of $27,000 for those who take out loans. Students who tend to thrive here are often those who appreciate a nurturing atmosphere and are eager to engage in their studies. The university's focus on student success and career readiness makes it a solid choice for those looking to make a meaningful impact in their fields.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective University of the Incarnate Word 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 University of the Incarnate Word? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

University of the Incarnate Word, located in San Antonio, Texas, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 98%. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 20. The graduation rate is roughly 51%.

Acceptance Rate
98%
Retention Rate
71%
ACT Midpoint
20
Full-Time Faculty
46%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$9,001
Student–Faculty Ratio
13:1
Diversity Index
0.54
First-Gen Students
43%
Applicants
9,625
Admitted
9,067

Inside the Admissions Office

School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25

The acceptance rate tells you how hard University of the Incarnate Word 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. 9% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school most admitted students ultimately pass on.

Yield Rate
9%
of admits enroll
Submitted SAT
26%
of enrolled freshmen
Submitted ACT
6%
of enrolled freshmen

Test-optional, in practice. Only about 32% of enrolled freshmen submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive here, not a long shot.

Source: University of the Incarnate Word's Common Data Set, 2024-25 View the source document on collegedata.fyi →

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 University of the Incarnate Word? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at University of the Incarnate Word is $37,090, 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 $22,775. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $19,260 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$37,090
Out-of-State
$37,090
Avg Net Price
$22,775
Median Debt
$27,000
Pell Grant Rate
45%
Federal Loan Rate
49%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$19,260
Family Income $30K–$48K
$19,487
Family Income $48K–$75K
$21,950
Family Income $110K+
$31,539

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 University of the Incarnate Word — 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 University of the Incarnate Word Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of University of the Incarnate Word earn a median of $56,733, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$47,625
8 Years
$52,962
10 Years
$56,733
Debt-to-Earnings
0.48x
Earning > $25K
72%

Earnings Trajectory

$47,625 6yr $52,962 8yr $56,733 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (299)
33%
100% (299)
33%
100% (299)
33%
100% (299)
33%

How University Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation51%Earnings 10yr$57KNet Price$23KRetention71%Median Debt$27KPell Grant Rate45%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$19K$0-30K$19K$30-48K$22K$48-75K$32K$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%14.6%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%19.4%MOBILITY2.83%

College ROI Calculator

Is University of the Incarnate Word Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, University of the Incarnate Word delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $22,775/year ($91,100 total). Graduates earn $56,733 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,405,698 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,314,598 (15.4× your investment). The median debt is $27,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 51% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$91,100
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,405,698
Net Return
$1,314,598
ROI Multiple
15.4×
Cost Per Year
$22,775
Median Debt
$27,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
51%

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 University of the Incarnate Word Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

University of the Incarnate Word 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 2.83%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 14.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 19.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $69,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
2.83%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
19.4%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
14.6%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$94,970
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is University of the Incarnate Word? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of the Incarnate Word. Its economic connectedness score is 1.58, 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.

Economic Connectedness
1.58
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
5.0%
Support Ratio
0.98
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).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Investment Income
$-6,652,054

Top Programs

The fields University of the Incarnate Word 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 University of the Incarnate Word? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

University of the Incarnate Word, located in San Antonio, Texas, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 98%. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 20. The graduation rate is roughly 51%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of the Incarnate Word? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at University of the Incarnate Word is $37,090, 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 $22,775. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $19,260 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.

Is University of the Incarnate Word Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of University of the Incarnate Word earn a median of $56,733, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does University of the Incarnate Word Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

University of the Incarnate Word 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 2.83%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 14.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 19.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $69,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is University of the Incarnate Word? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of the Incarnate Word. Its economic connectedness score is 1.58, 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 University of the Incarnate Word offer Early Decision?

No. University of the Incarnate Word does not report a binding Early Decision plan (2024-25 Common Data Set).

Is University of the Incarnate Word really test-optional?

In practice, yes. Only about 32% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at University of the Incarnate Word (2024-25 Common Data Set).

What percentage of admitted students enroll at University of the Incarnate Word?

About 9% of admitted students choose to enroll at University of the Incarnate Word — its yield rate (2024-25 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.

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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