Texas Southern University
Houston, Texas · Public · 96.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 10/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Texas Southern University scores 10 (Below Benchmark), driven by a 22.2% completion rate, a 52.6-year payback period, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.957. These figures reflect an institution where fewer than one in four enrolled students graduates and where the typical graduate's debt is almost equal to their full year of earnings. Average 6-year earnings of $30,300 compare with $29,000 median debt. The one-year repayment rate of 37.0% signals acute borrower distress. The Pell rate of 72.3% indicates a predominantly low-income student body. Finance is the strongest program (19 graduates, $53,873 year-one, $70,201 year-four, C grade). Civil Engineering (26 graduates, $71,595 year-four) is not reported for year-one. The vast majority of programs produce D or F grade ROI outcomes, with debt-to-earnings ratios ranging from 0.788 to 1.899. The completion rate and repayment data dominate the story here; the per-program earnings in high-demand fields are not terrible, but the institutional infrastructure to get students through to graduation appears inadequate.
How Texas Southern University 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 Score10/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate22.2% - 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 period>50 years - In our estimate, the earnings premium over a high school completer is small next to the cost, so the cost may not be recouped within a working career.
Texas Southern University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $9,173/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $21,473/yr |
| Average net price | $16,590/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $66,360 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $38,924 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $30,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $29,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $307 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 22.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 6,844 |
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: $9,173/year ($21,473/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 $16,590/year, or roughly $66,360 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 $16,437/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $21,610/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $29,000, which works out to about $307 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($30,300) and comes to 0.96, 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 | $16,437 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $21,115 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $21,280 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $22,698 |
| $110,001+ | $21,610 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 bracket pays $16,437 per year at TSU. For a 72% Pell population, this is a meaningful cost against earnings of $30,300. The near-zero state appropriation per student embedded in TSU's budget structure means the school charges low-income students prices that are high relative to what they will earn - a structural problem that the Scorecard data reflects clearly.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $21,280, rising to $22,698 for the 75001-110000 tier. Middle-income families actually pay more than the lowest tier despite presumably having greater means. The net price schedule is relatively flat across all income bands, ranging from $16,437 to $21,610, suggesting limited income-based aid differentiation.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $21,610 per year - slightly below the 75001-110000 tier, an unusual reversal. Against a 52.6-year payback period and $30,300 average earnings, the full-pay case at TSU is limited to students with specific reasons (Houston ties, specific HBCU mission, specific program) to choose it. Engineering and finance completers can produce reasonable outcomes; most other programs cannot.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Texas Southern University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | $55,321 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $45,961 | F |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $53,203 | D |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $44,953 | F |
| Psychology | $47,185 | F |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $48,426 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $56,482 | D |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $51,195 | C |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $62,728 | C |
| Social Work | $49,871 | 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 (26 graduates) is TSU's highest-earning program by four-year figure: $71,595 at year four (year-one not reported). Houston's infrastructure and energy sectors create demand for civil engineers, and TSU's program is positioned to serve that market. The ROI grade is not reported due to missing year-one data.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance (19 graduates) is the strongest ROI program with reported full data: $53,873 year-one, $70,201 year-four, debt-to-earnings 0.612 (C grade) on median debt of $32,987. Year-one earnings are well above the school median and the four-year trajectory to $70k reflects Houston financial services placement. The C grade reflects that debt is present and the ratio is not clean, but earnings are defensible for completers.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (66 graduates) earns a D grade: $40,304 year-one, $53,203 year-four, debt-to-earnings 0.911 on median debt of $36,720. The debt figure is very high relative to year-one earnings, creating significant early-career repayment pressure. The year-four recovery to $53k is workable for graduates who advance in management, but the near-term cashflow is strained.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice (68 graduates) earns an F grade: $29,763 year-one, $45,961 at year four, debt-to-earnings 1.218 on median debt of $36,250. Graduates are borrowing more than their entire first year of wages. The field typically leads to law enforcement and corrections roles with modest starting salaries and high debt burdens relative to those starting wages.
Biology
Biology (90 graduates) earns an F grade: $31,779 year-one, $55,321 year-four, debt-to-earnings 1.079 on median debt of $34,302. Like other biology programs at access-oriented schools, the near-term data captures pre-professional students in low-wage positions before medical or graduate school. Median debt is $34,302 at year-one earnings of $31,779.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 37.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 48.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 30.0% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 38.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Texas Southern University’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 | 96.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 380-480 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 420-520 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 15-19 |
| Enrollment | 6,844 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 72.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,730 |
TSU's 96.9% admission rate reflects near-open access. Test score ranges (ACT 15-19 composite) confirm the school serves students across a wide preparation spectrum. The enrollment decision at TSU requires realistic assessment of completion risk. The university's Houston location provides access to major employers, but students must complete the degree to access those opportunities.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
TSU's ROI score is 10. The HBCU mission and Houston location are real assets, but the 22.2% completion rate fundamentally limits what the Scorecard data can show.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Southern University (this school) | 10 | $16,590 | $38,924 |
| Alabama A & M University | 10 | $17,621 | $40,628 |
| University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 10 | $12,653 | $35,550 |
| Philander Smith University | 10 | $14,224 | $38,427 |
| Savannah State University | 10 | $8,172 | $37,981 |
| Lincoln University | 10 | $19,092 | $39,463 |
Who Thrives Here
TSU admits 96.9% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 380-480 Math and 420-520 Reading, ACT 15-19 - scores that indicate many students arrive with limited academic preparation. Enrollment of 6,844 is sizeable for a HBCU. The 72.3% Pell rate underscores that TSU primarily serves low-income students in Houston. The 22.2% completion rate means the school's ability to carry students from enrollment to graduation is severely limited.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Texas Southern University scores 10/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $16,590 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $38,924 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 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 22.2% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.96 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 48.8% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $29,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $30,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.96. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Texas Southern University: Common Questions
Is Texas Southern University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Texas Southern University scores 10/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $16,590 a year after aid against $38,924 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Texas Southern University 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 $16,590 a year, or roughly $66,360 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 Southern University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $38,924 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off Texas Southern University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at more than 50 years for Texas Southern University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Texas Southern University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $29,000, against average earnings of $30,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.96. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Texas Southern University?
The six-year graduation rate is 22.2%. 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.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
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.