Prairie View A & M University
Prairie View, Texas · Public · 79.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 27/100 · Poor Value
Prairie View A&M, an HBCU and land-grant institution about an hour northwest of Houston, posts a Poor Value ROI score of 27/100. The composite is dragged down by a 43.2% completion rate, a 0.787 debt-to-earnings ratio, an 18.7-year payback period, and a weak 48.8% three-year repayment rate. In-state tuition is $11,299 and the average net price is $13,570, for a four-year total of roughly $54,280. Median earnings six years after entry are $34,300, rising to $45,411 by year ten, with median federal debt of $27,000 generating about $286 in monthly payments. The earnings picture is bimodal: Engineering, Nursing, and Computer Science graduates clear $75K-$115K, while the larger cohorts in Kinesiology, Psychology, Biology, and Health Services land in the $25K-$32K range early on. That mix produces the headline ROI deficit, but the school-wide number masks several genuinely strong programs.
The data raises concerns about Prairie View A & M University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score27/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period18.7 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Prairie View A & M University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $11,299/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $26,874/yr |
| Average net price | $13,570/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $54,280 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $45,411 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 18.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 43.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 8,877 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Prairie View A & M University is $11,299/year ($26,874/year out-of-state). But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $13,570/year, or roughly $54,280 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $12,120/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $16,376/year.
The median graduate leaves with $27,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $286 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $45,411 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.79 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $12,120 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $13,465 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,024 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,753 |
| $110,001+ | $16,376 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $12,120 net per year, and the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $13,465. Pell and Texas state aid help, but four-year out-of-pocket of nearly $50,000 is steep given the school's $34,300 six-year median earnings. The math only works if the student finishes and lands in a higher-paying program.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $16,024 and $75,001-$110,000 pays $17,753, the highest bracket in the dataset. Four years at $64K-$71K is comparable to private school net cost. Combined with sub-50% completion risk, middle-income families should examine other Texas publics with stronger ROI before committing.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $16,376, which is curiously lower than the $75,001-$110,000 bracket. This is an inverted bracket, likely reflecting Scorecard sample-size noise rather than a real merit-aid pattern. Full-pay families should use the net price calculator directly because the published figure may not predict their actual offer.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Prairie View A & M University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $91,910 | B+ |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $46,693 | F |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $50,657 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $53,715 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $47,743 | D |
| Psychology | $44,240 | F |
| Biology | $51,499 | F |
| Agriculture, General | $49,403 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $48,887 | F |
| Mechanical Engineering | $88,708 | C+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is Prairie View's largest strong-ROI program: 119 graduates, $83,218 in first-year earnings rising to $91,910 by year four, B+ ROI grade, and a 0.329 debt-to-earnings ratio. The school's Northwest Houston Nursing Center pipeline into Texas Medical Center hospitals is direct. This is the program that drags the school's overall earnings number up.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology is the school's largest cohort by graduates (117) but produces an F ROI grade: first-year earnings of just $25,594, debt of $28,621, and a 1.118 debt-to-earnings ratio. Career paths typically require a master's in physical therapy or occupational therapy to reach competitive earnings, and most graduates do not pursue that path.
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
Health Sciences (108 grads) earns a D ROI grade. First-year earnings of $32,266, $29,457 of median debt, and a 0.913 debt-to-earnings ratio define a tight margin. The pre-health pipeline only pays off if students continue to graduate or professional school in nursing, PA, or medicine.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (105 grads) lands a D ROI grade with first-year earnings of $38,662 and a 0.802 debt-to-earnings ratio. Four-year earnings of $53,715 are modest for a major of this size at a public university in a state with a strong corporate market. The Houston metro should support higher placement; persistence and major selection within business appear to be the constraints.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice (104 grads) posts a D ROI grade. First-year earnings of $31,823 against $26,750 of debt yield a 0.841 ratio. Texas law enforcement and corrections employers do hire these grads steadily, but wage trajectories are flat without additional credentials or federal-agency hiring.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 42.0% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 48.8% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 35.8% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 45.3% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 79.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 410-530 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 450-550 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 16-21 |
| Enrollment | 8,877 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 65.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,530 |
Prairie View admits 79.3% of applicants, sitting in the accessible-public-HBCU band. SAT mid-ranges run 410-530 math and 450-550 reading; ACT composite mid-range is 16-21. Those scores reflect a wide academic band, and the 43.2% completion rate confirms that under-prepared admits struggle to persist. Students arriving with stronger high-school records or focused engineering and nursing intent see materially better outcomes than the campus average.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Prairie View's peer set includes Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (mid-tier regional public), Angelo State University (similar regional Texas access), Arkansas State University, Morgan State University (a fellow HBCU in Maryland), and Youngstown State University. Morgan State is the most apples-to-apples comparison: same HBCU mission, similar Pell-heavy student body, comparable engineering and nursing strengths. Prairie View's Engineering programs hold their own against the Texas regional publics, but its overall ROI lags due to weaker non-STEM outcomes.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie View A & M University (this school) | 27 | $13,570 | $45,411 |
| Morehouse College | 29 | $39,013 | $52,889 |
| Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 28 | $13,739 | $44,349 |
| Winston-Salem State University | 27 | $13,479 | $45,344 |
| Tuskegee University | 26 | $35,013 | $49,641 |
| Edward Waters University | 25 | $13,649 | $34,782 |
Who Thrives Here
Pell rate of 65.6% and enrollment of 8,877 mark this as a large access-mission HBCU with substantial low-income student presence. Prairie View fits Texas students seeking an affordable HBCU experience with strong STEM and Nursing pipelines and tight ties to Texas industry, particularly oil/gas and aerospace employers who actively recruit Engineering grads. Students entering with declared majors in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or Nursing capture nearly all of the school's ROI upside.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Prairie View A & M University. With a net cost of $13,570 per year and median graduate earnings of only $45,411 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 18.7 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 43.2% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,000 against $45,411 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.