Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Kingsville, Texas · Public · 90.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 52/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Texas A&M University-Kingsville posts a 52 ROI score, falling into the Below Average Value tier. TAMUK is a midsize Hispanic-Serving Institution in South Texas with affordable in-state tuition of $9,892 and a $12,090 net price. Four-year total cost is $48,360. The score is held up by a 34 percent earnings premium (sub-score 74), $51,450 ten-year median earnings, and a respectable 11.5-year payback period. The drags are completion (41.9 percent) and repayment (just 63 percent making progress at three years, declining to 52 percent at five). Median debt is $22,934 with a 0.581 debt-to-earnings ratio. The program-level story is bifurcated and important: TAMUK's engineering programs are genuinely strong, with Electrical, Civil, Mechanical, Chemical, and Architectural Engineering all earning B grades and producing graduates with $66,000-$98,000 in year-four earnings. Outside engineering, however, many cohorts struggle with F-grade outcomes (Animal Sciences, Communication, Communication Disorders). The right pathway here delivers strong value; the wrong pathway is punishing.
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $9,892/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $25,746/yr |
| Average net price | $12,090/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $48,360 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $51,450 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $39,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,934 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $243 |
| Estimated payback period | 11.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 41.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,748 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $9,892/year ($25,746/year out-of-state). Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $12,090/year, or roughly $48,360 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $10,207/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $19,553/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $22,934 in federal loans, which works out to about $243 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $51,450 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.58, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
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 | $10,207 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $10,960 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $12,700 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $15,325 |
| $110,001+ | $19,553 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $10,207. Four-year cost approaches $41,000 for low-income students, against $51,450 median earnings ten years out. The math works on paper, particularly for students in engineering tracks. The completion-rate risk is the bigger concern: a low-income student who does not finish carries $22,934 in median debt without a credential.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families pay $10,960 (the $30,001 to $48,000 tier) to $12,700 (the $48,001 to $75,000 tier). Total four-year cost lands around $44,000 to $51,000. This is workable value for students who target engineering or accounting. The progression is normal (not inverted), which means aid does meaningful work at TAMUK for these brackets.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $19,553, with the $75,001 to $110,000 bracket at $15,325. The curve is normal. Four-year cost for the top bracket is approximately $78,000. Competitive against UT-Austin or Texas A&M College Station for students who would rather stay in the Coastal Bend region. Strong financial fit for high-income students targeting engineering.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Texas A&M University-Kingsville with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineering | $75,033 | B |
| Mechanical Engineering | $88,830 | B |
| Animal Sciences | $44,214 | F |
| Biology | $42,405 | D |
| Psychology | $45,020 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $56,170 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $49,907 | C |
| Music | $57,117 | C |
| Chemical Engineering | $97,811 | B |
| Political Science and Government | $40,965 | D |
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.
Civil Engineering
Civil Engineering is the largest engineering program with 65 graduates, earning B grade. First-year earnings of $66,429 grow to $75,033 by year four, with $24,625 in median debt and a 0.371 debt-to-earnings ratio. Strong pipeline into Texas DOT, municipal engineering, and South Texas energy infrastructure firms. This is among the highest-value engineering programs in the regional A&M system.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering produces 64 graduates with B grade. First-year earnings of $56,135 climb to $88,830 by year four, with $21,678 in debt and a 0.386 debt-to-earnings ratio. The year-four earnings figure is exceptional, reflecting placement into Texas oil-and-gas, defense, and manufacturing. Combined with TAMUK's affordable cost structure, this is one of the strongest financial bets in the entire dataset for the right student.
Animal Sciences
Animal Sciences earns F with 49 graduates, the worst program-level outcome at TAMUK. First-year earnings of just $20,036 against $25,000 in median debt produce a 1.248 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning debt exceeds annual earnings by 25 percent. Year-four earnings of $44,214 show progression but the entry-level squeeze is severe. The program serves the ranching tradition of South Texas; students should consider whether the financial outcomes match their family situation.
Biology
Biology produces 46 graduates with D grade. First-year earnings of $27,493 against $25,281 in median debt yield a 0.92 debt-to-earnings ratio. Year-four earnings of $42,405 show only modest progression. As a terminal bachelor's the math is uncomfortable; treated as pre-medical or pre-graduate-school the financial picture changes substantially with the eventual professional credential.
Psychology
Psychology shows 45 graduates with D grade. First-year earnings of $33,220 against $25,800 debt produce a 0.777 debt-to-earnings ratio. Year-four earnings of $45,020 show progression but remain modest. Same caveat: this is a graduate-school-dependent major. Students who plan to stop at the bachelor's level should reconsider; those committed to clinical, school, or industrial-organizational psychology graduate programs have a clearer path.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 56.0% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 63.4% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 52.1% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 58.5% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 90.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 480-560 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 510-550 |
| Enrollment | 4,748 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 52.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,761 |
TAMUK admits 90.9 percent of applicants. SAT mid-range is 480 to 560 math and 510 to 550 reading; ACT mid-ranges are not reported. The narrow SAT bands suggest a relatively concentrated admit pool. The 41.9 percent completion rate is concerning for an admit profile this broad, signaling significant retention challenges, particularly among first-generation and Pell-eligible students who make up a meaningful share of the population.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Named peers are Angelo State University, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, University of Massachusetts Global, Washburn University, and East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. Angelo State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi are the closest structural peers (Texas regional A&M system members) and tend to post similar earnings outcomes with marginally better completion rates. TAMUK's engineering programs match or beat most peers; its overall completion rate is weaker than Corpus Christi or Angelo State.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M University-Kingsville (this school) | 52 | $12,090 | $51,450 |
| University of Massachusetts Global | 52 | $32,654 | $65,703 |
| Washburn University | 51 | $15,280 | $49,774 |
| East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 51 | $18,134 | $56,148 |
| Angelo State University | 49 | $15,091 | $50,116 |
| Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | 48 | $15,225 | $51,865 |
Who Thrives Here
TAMUK fits a South Texas student aiming at engineering, particularly Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, or Chemical Engineering. Pell rate is 52.7 percent, signaling a heavily need-tested student body. Enrollment is 4,748. The Hispanic-Serving designation creates real pipelines into Texas oil-and-gas, defense, and infrastructure-engineering firms actively recruiting Latina/Latino engineering talent. Poor fits are students drifting into Animal Sciences (49 graduates, F grade) or general business tracks where the earnings tail does not justify the debt; community college plus transfer to another A&M campus may serve those students better.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Texas A&M University-Kingsville is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $12,090 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $51,450 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 11.5 years to earn the cost back - slower than most four-year schools. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What to keep an eye on: its 41.9% graduation rate, concerning loan repayment rates.
Median debt of $22,934 against $51,450 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
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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.