The University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, Texas · Public · 79.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 76/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
The University of Texas at Arlington scores 76 (Strong Value) - a solid result for a large public research university in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro. UTA delivers $43,700 average 6-year earnings and a 6.9-year payback at a net price of $13,951. The 42.3% Pell rate reflects UTA's genuine access mission in the DFW region. The 54% completion rate is UTA's most significant weakness - nearly half of enrolled students do not graduate. Median debt of $17,527 with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.401 is manageable. Nursing alone accounts for 2,652 graduates - far above any other single program - making it the dominant driver of UTA's aggregate earnings profile.
The University of Texas at Arlington scores in the top 17% of the schools we score, with strong earnings outcomes relative to cost.
The University of Texas at Arlington
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $11,950/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $29,582/yr |
| Average net price | $13,951/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $55,804 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $63,199 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $43,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $17,527 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $186 |
| Estimated payback period | 6.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 54.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 32,294 |
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: $11,950/year ($29,582/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 $13,951/year, or roughly $55,804 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 $11,893/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,692/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $17,527, which works out to about $186 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($43,700) and comes to 0.40, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
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 | $11,893 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,003 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $12,612 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,371 |
| $110,001+ | $24,692 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $11,893 net per year - about $47,600 over four years. For students who complete a degree in nursing, CS, or engineering, this is an exceptional value. The 54% completion rate is the primary risk: low-income students who borrow and do not finish face $17,527 median debt without the degree. UTA's low net price is a real advantage if the student completes.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays only $12,612 net per year - nearly identical to the lowest income bracket. UTA's aid model is relatively flat across income levels. At $12,000-$16,000 annual net, middle-income families get genuine value at UTA, particularly for high-demand programs.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $24,692 net per year - about $99,000 over four years. CS and nursing graduates recover this much faster; humanities and arts graduates much slower.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at The University of Texas at Arlington with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $99,393 | B+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $62,978 | C+ |
| Finance and Financial Management | $76,623 | B |
| Biology | $53,498 | C |
| Public Health | $37,043 | C+ |
| Marketing | $63,088 | B |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $54,975 | D |
| Psychology | $45,539 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $32,990 | C |
| Information Science | $78,953 | B |
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 UTA's defining program: 2,652 graduates - the school's largest program - earning $85,513 at year one and $99,393 at year four. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.306 (ROI grade B+) and $26,182 median debt is very manageable against those earnings. UTA has built a large nursing program, feeding the DFW healthcare market's significant demand. This program is the primary reason UTA's aggregate ROI score is as strong as it is.
Computer Science
Computer Science (170 graduates) earns $84,759 at year one and $109,197 at year four - tied with nursing for UTA's highest year-one earnings - with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.230 (ROI grade A) and $19,500 median debt. This is UTA's best ROI program outside nursing: low debt, very high earnings, and a year-one rate that places graduates directly into the DFW tech sector (AT&T, Lockheed, American Airlines, and a growing startup ecosystem).
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (317 graduates) earns $45,534 at year one and $62,978 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.457 (ROI grade C+) and $20,823 median debt. Returns are acceptable at UTA's price point. The DFW business market is large and diverse.
Fine and Studio Arts
Fine and Studio Arts (138 graduates) earns $25,156 at year one with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.056 (ROI grade F) and $26,562 median debt. Fine arts employment in DFW is competitive and wages are low.
Education, General
Education (136 graduates) earns $57,410 at year one with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.231 (ROI grade A) and $13,250 median debt - the lowest debt and best debt-to-earnings ratio at UTA. Texas teacher pay has improved in recent years. Education is a surprisingly strong ROI performer at UTA, driven by low borrowing and immediate employment.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 66.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 70.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 63.2% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 70.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How The University of Texas at Arlington’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 | 79.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 500-620 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 510-620 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 19-27 |
| Enrollment | 32,294 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 42.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $11,502 |
A 79.9% acceptance rate with ACT 19-27 makes UTA broadly accessible. The wide ACT range reflects a student body with highly varied academic preparation.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
UTA's net price is $13,951.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Texas at Arlington (this school) | 76 | $13,951 | $63,199 |
| University of Colorado Boulder | 80 | $25,346 | $69,738 |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 76 | $19,151 | $61,251 |
| Oregon State University | 75 | $19,604 | $64,010 |
| Angelo State University | 49 | $15,091 | $50,116 |
| Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | 48 | $15,225 | $51,865 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See The University of Texas at Arlington side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
UTA admits 79.9% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 500-620 Math and 510-620 Reading, and ACT 19-27 composite. It is broadly accessible for Texas high school students. The 32,294-student enrollment is large; this is a commuter-heavy research university. UTA fits working students and commuters who want a Texas public university degree at a low price in the DFW market, plan to study nursing, engineering, CS, or business, and can handle a large impersonal campus.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, The University of Texas at Arlington pays off. You'd pay about $13,951 a year after aid ($55,804 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $63,199 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 6.9 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: a three-year loan repayment rate of 70.4% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $17,527 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $43,700 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40, 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.
The University of Texas at Arlington: Common Questions
Is The University of Texas at Arlington worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students The University of Texas at Arlington pays off. It scores 76/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $13,951 a year after aid ($55,804 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $63,199 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 6.9 years to earn back.
How much does The University of Texas at Arlington 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 $13,951 a year, or roughly $55,804 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 The University of Texas at Arlington graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $63,199 ten years after enrolling, roughly $21,399 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 The University of Texas at Arlington?
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 6.9 years for The University of Texas at Arlington. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do The University of Texas at Arlington graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $17,527, against average earnings of $43,700 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40. 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 The University of Texas at Arlington?
The six-year graduation rate is 54.0%. 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.