University of Houston-Clear Lake
Houston, Texas · Public · 90.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 69/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Houston-Clear Lake earns a 69 ROI score (Fair Value). The driver is debt-to-earnings: median debt of just $17,831 against earnings of $45,500 at six years and $59,004 at ten produces a 0.392 ratio (88 sub-score) and an 8.4-year payback period (72 sub-score). In-state tuition is a remarkable $7,770, with average net price of $15,563 and total four-year cost around $62,252. The two drags: a 51.6% completion rate (42 sub-score) and a 65.3% three-year repayment rate (27 sub-score, the weakest dimension). UHCL was historically an upper-division-and-graduate-only campus, which complicates the completion calculus.
University of Houston-Clear Lake
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $7,770/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $21,114/yr |
| Average net price | $15,563/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $62,252 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $59,004 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $45,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $17,831 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $189 |
| Estimated payback period | 8.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 51.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 6,078 |
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: $7,770/year ($21,114/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 $15,563/year, or roughly $62,252 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 $7,330/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $21,898/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $17,831, which works out to about $189 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($45,500) and comes to 0.39, 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 | $7,330 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,470 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $19,458 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,296 |
| $110,001+ | $21,898 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-$30,000 pay just $7,330 net - an exceptionally strong number - meaning total four-year cost is around $29,000. Pell plus state aid does most of the work. The risk isn't price but completion: borrowing modestly and not finishing remains the worst-case scenario.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
$30,001-$48,000 brackets pay $12,470, $48,001-$75,000 pay $19,458, and $75,001-$110,000 pay $21,296. Total four-year cost ranges from $50K-$85K. The $19,458 figure for the $48-75K bracket is a notable jump from the lower brackets, but middle-income earnings outcomes ($45,500/$59,004) still produce reasonable payback math, especially for STEM and business graduates.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $21,898 (~$88K over four years). The bracket structure increases monotonically across all five income tiers (no inversions to flag).
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Houston-Clear Lake with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $57,065 | B |
| Psychology | $48,885 | C |
| Biology | $64,555 | C |
| Accounting | $70,134 | B |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $62,046 | B |
| Business Administration and Management | $71,973 | B |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $55,083 | C+ |
| Computer Science | $77,073 | B+ |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $38,330 | D |
| Finance and Financial Management | $74,949 | 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.
Computer Science
Computer science delivers a B+ grade with $65,857 first-year earnings rising to $77,073 at year four. Median debt of $22,288 yields a 0.338 debt-to-earnings ratio. With 59 graduates per cohort, the program has scale and the Houston tech/energy sectors absorb graduates well. This is a clear high-confidence ROI path at UHCL.
Accounting
Accounting is the largest disciplinary program at 87 graduates with a B grade. First-year earnings of $49,029 grow to $70,134 by year four against $19,375 median debt (0.395 ratio). Houston's energy-sector accounting and audit market is deep, and UHCL grads place into firms across the Gulf Coast. Strong dollar-value choice for finishers.
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Interdisciplinary studies is by far the largest program (282 graduates) with a B grade - unusual strength for an interdisciplinary track. First-year earnings of $56,645 against $20,904 debt (0.369 ratio) likely reflects working adults completing a degree to advance in current jobs. The program functions as a credential-completion pathway for Houston-area professionals and the math reflects that.
Psychology
Psychology pulls 132 graduates with a C grade. First-year earnings of $36,103 rising to $48,885 at year four against $21,952 debt (0.608 ratio) makes the math tight. Students should plan that pathway before committing.
Computer Engineering
Computer engineering posts a B+ with $63,751 first-year earnings rising to $79,710 at year four. Median debt of $22,238 produces a 0.349 ratio. With 28 graduates, capacity is moderate but Houston's aerospace (Johnson Space Center is adjacent), energy, and defense employers create a strong local market. Solid ROI for prepared students.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 59.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 65.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 64.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 69.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Houston-Clear Lake’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 | 90.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 480-570 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 490-580 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 20-25 |
| Enrollment | 6,078 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 45.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,108 |
UHCL admits 90.5% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 480-570 math and 490-580 reading, ACT composite 20-25. Prepared students who arrive with a major direction generally finish.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
UHCL's ROI score is 69. UHCL's in-state tuition is $7,770.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Houston-Clear Lake (this school) | 69 | $15,563 | $59,004 |
| University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | 70 | $20,927 | $68,804 |
| Rhode Island College | 69 | $9,478 | $56,318 |
| Eastern Washington University | 66 | $13,886 | $57,897 |
| Angelo State University | 49 | $15,091 | $50,116 |
| Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | 48 | $15,225 | $51,865 |
Who Thrives Here
UHCL fits Houston-area working students - commuters, transfers, first-generation, and Pell-eligible (45.2% Pell rate). Enrollment of 6,078 keeps things manageable. The school's structural origin as an upper-division institution shows in its transfer-friendliness; many students arrive from Houston Community College or San Jacinto. Strong outcome paths cluster in nursing, computer science, computer engineering, accounting, MIS, and English. Students choosing psychology, behavioral sciences, communications, or fine arts should expect significantly weaker ROI even though the underlying cost structure is favorable.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
University of Houston-Clear Lake is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $15,563 a year after aid ($62,252 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $59,004 a decade out, the cost takes about 8.4 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
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: its 51.6% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 65.3% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $17,831 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $45,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.39, 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.
University of Houston-Clear Lake: Common Questions
Is University of Houston-Clear Lake worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether University of Houston-Clear Lake is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 69/100 on our ROI scale. At $15,563 a year after aid ($62,252 over four years) against $59,004 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 8.4 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does University of Houston-Clear Lake 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 $15,563 a year, or roughly $62,252 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 University of Houston-Clear Lake graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $59,004 ten years after enrolling, roughly $17,204 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 University of Houston-Clear Lake?
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 8.4 years for University of Houston-Clear Lake. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Houston-Clear Lake graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $17,831, against average earnings of $45,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.39. 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 University of Houston-Clear Lake?
The six-year graduation rate is 51.6%. 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.
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.