Texas A&M University-Texarkana
Texarkana, Texas · Public · 63.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 36/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Texas A&M University-Texarkana is a small public university in Texarkana, Texas, enrolling approximately 1,982 students. Its overall ROI score of 36 falls in the Below Benchmark tier, driven primarily by an exceptionally low 30% completion rate - fewer than one in three students earns a degree within the typical timeframe. That completion challenge overshadows otherwise reasonable cost metrics: in-state tuition of $8,349 and a net price of $12,997 are modest, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55 is serviceable. With 53% of students receiving Pell Grants, the institution serves a high-need population in the Texas-Arkansas border region. The nursing program is the institution's clear standout, producing graduates earning $67,768 one year out. TAMU-Texarkana carries the Texas A&M brand name, which provides some labor market signal.
How Texas A&M University-Texarkana scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score36/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate29.6% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- Payback period18.3 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Texas A&M University-Texarkana
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,349/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $45,080/yr |
| Average net price | $12,997/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $51,988 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $45,515 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $18,953 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $201 |
| Estimated payback period | 18.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 29.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,982 |
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: $8,349/year ($45,080/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $12,997/year, or roughly $51,988 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 $11,002/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $18,268/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $18,953, which works out to about $201 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($34,800) and comes to 0.55, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
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 | $11,002 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,494 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $14,432 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,871 |
| $110,001+ | $18,268 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Students from families earning under $30,000 face a net price of $11,002 - very low in absolute terms and reflective of strong federal and state grant support. At this price, even modest earnings outcomes may yield a positive return for completers. The critical variable is completion: students who do not finish face debt without credential, which is the primary financial risk for low-income students at any institution with a 30% completion rate.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income students ($48,001 - $75,000) pay $14,432 in net price. The investment case rests on completion and program selection. Nursing completers at this income level face an excellent return; students in general studies or social sciences face longer payback periods but low absolute debt levels.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Higher-income families ($110,000-plus) pay $18,268 in net price. For out-of-state families, the $45,080 out-of-state tuition makes TAMU-Texarkana a poor financial choice.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Texas A&M University-Texarkana with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $45,585 | C |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $47,135 | C |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $41,358 | C |
| Biology | $56,504 | C |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $42,676 | C |
| Psychology | $42,355 | D |
| Accounting | $49,822 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $67,768 | B |
| Electrical Engineering | $50,207 | - |
| History | $41,460 | 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 the institution's strongest financial program. Graduates earn $67,768 one year out - double the institutional median - and carry median debt of $28,663, yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 that earns a B grade. With 13 graduates annually, the cohort is small. The program addresses genuine healthcare workforce needs in the Texarkana regional labor market, where rural health access is a persistent concern.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is the largest tracked program with 59 graduates. One-year median earnings of $36,948 are modest, rising to $45,585 at four years. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.60 earns a C grade against $22,250 in median debt. At a low in-state net price, the business program offers a credential path that is financially manageable if students complete the degree; the institution-wide attrition challenge is the primary risk.
Biology
Biology graduates earn $31,567 one year out and $56,504 at four years, likely reflecting pre-professional pathways into health-related graduate programs. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68 earns a C grade. Students pursuing biology here should plan explicitly for graduate or professional school, as bachelor's-level biology earnings are modest. The four-year trajectory suggests many graduates do pursue advanced credentials.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates earn $32,971 one year out and $42,676 at four years, reflecting placement into public safety and corrections roles in the Texas-Arkansas region. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62 earns a C grade. The 29 annual graduates serve regional law enforcement and government agencies.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 58.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 63.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 57.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 65.5% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Texas A&M University-Texarkana’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
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 | 63.5% |
| Enrollment | 1,982 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 52.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,835 |
TAMU-Texarkana admitted 64% of applicants based on available data. No standardized test score ranges are reported. Transfer students from local community colleges (including Texarkana College) are a significant portion of the student body, and the institution accommodates that pathway.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M University-Texarkana (this school) | 36 | $12,997 | $45,515 |
| Angelo State University | 49 | $15,091 | $50,116 |
| Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | 48 | $15,225 | $51,865 |
| New Mexico Highlands University | 39 | $14,838 | $45,937 |
| Montana State University Billings | 34 | $16,524 | $44,296 |
| Missouri Western State University | 29 | $13,251 | $42,647 |
Who Thrives Here
TAMU-Texarkana primarily serves working adults and traditional students in the Texarkana metro who cannot or choose not to relocate for education. The 64% admit rate and absence of published test scores signal a broad-access institution. The 53% Pell rate indicates that the majority of students come from low- and moderate-income families. Students who thrive here are locally rooted, often balancing work and family responsibilities alongside coursework. Nursing is the clearest high-return pathway; students without a defined career path face real attrition risk.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Texas A&M University-Texarkana scores 36/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $12,997 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $45,515 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 18.3 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 29.6% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 63.4% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $18,953 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $34,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Texas A&M University-Texarkana: Common Questions
Is Texas A&M University-Texarkana worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Texas A&M University-Texarkana scores 36/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $12,997 a year after aid against $45,515 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 18.3 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Texas A&M University-Texarkana cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $12,997 a year, or roughly $51,988 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Texas A&M University-Texarkana graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $45,515 ten years after enrolling, roughly $3,715 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Texas A&M University-Texarkana?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 18.3 years for Texas A&M University-Texarkana. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Texas A&M University-Texarkana graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $18,953, against average earnings of $34,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Texas A&M University-Texarkana?
The six-year graduation rate is 29.6%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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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.