University of Houston-Victoria
Victoria, Texas · Public · 95.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 67/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Houston-Victoria (UHV) is a regional public university in Victoria, Texas, enrolling about 2,513 students. In-state tuition of $7,149 and a net price of $8,109 make it an affordable four-year degree. Its ROI score of 67 (Fair Value) is driven primarily by a strong earnings premium (60.0%) and low median debt ($18,973), offset by a completion rate of 26.4%. Average six-year earnings of $43,800 and median ten-year of $54,467 reflect a graduate population that accesses Texas's robust energy, healthcare, and logistics sectors. The 8.9-year payback period is respectable. UHV serves a high-Pell population (48.9%), drawn from Victoria's working-class community and the surrounding South Texas region. Finance, computer science, and human resources management lead ROI outcomes; English and criminal justice lag. The 95.9% admission rate confirms open-access intent.
How University of Houston-Victoria 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.
- 6-year graduation rate26.4% - 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.
University of Houston-Victoria
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $7,149/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $16,989/yr |
| Average net price | $8,109/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $32,436 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $54,467 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $43,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $18,973 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $201 |
| Estimated payback period | 8.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 26.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,513 |
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: $7,149/year ($16,989/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 $8,109/year, or roughly $32,436 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 $5,317/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $20,285/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $18,973, 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 ($43,800) and comes to 0.43, 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 | $5,317 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $5,579 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,553 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,047 |
| $110,001+ | $20,285 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Low-income students (under $30,000) pay $5,317 net. Four-year investment approaches $21,000. With average six-year earnings of $43,800 and an 8.9-year payback, the economics are positive for completers in high-earning programs. The 26.4% completion rate is the primary risk: students who leave without a degree still carry debt. Full-time enrollment, academic advising engagement, and employer tuition assistance when available are the most powerful persistence levers.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001 - $48,000 band pays $5,579 net - essentially the same as the lowest bracket, reflecting UHV's very flat aid structure for lower-income families. Four-year cost around $22,000 is exceptional value for a Texas public degree.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $20,285 net - a large jump from lower brackets. For high-income families, UHV's ROI case depends on program choice: finance and CIS graduates fare well.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Houston-Victoria with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $53,837 | C+ |
| Business Administration and Management | $56,397 | C |
| Psychology | $42,359 | D |
| Accounting | $55,175 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $62,054 | C+ |
| Communication and Media Studies | $52,435 | B |
| Finance and Financial Management | $80,774 | B+ |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $79,123 | B |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $50,809 | D |
| Marketing | $61,341 | - |
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.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance (37 graduates) earns $50,812 at one year and $80,774 at four years - UHV's best four-year earnings program. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.35 earns a B+ grade, the highest at UHV. Victoria's energy sector (Formosa Plastics, Invista, and refinery operations) and the I-10 corridor to Houston provide finance graduates with corporate treasury, cost accounting, and project finance placement pathways. At under $8,200 net price, Finance at UHV is an excellent cost-to-outcome ratio.
Computer and Information Sciences
CIS (31 graduates) earns $52,251 at one year and $79,123 at four, with $20,671 median debt and a 0.40 ratio (B grade). UHV's online CIS offering reaches students beyond Victoria into the broader Texas market. South Texas's growing petrochemical digitization and the Houston metro's tech sector provide meaningful remote-work and in-person placement options. The program's ROI is strong at UHV's price point.
Accounting
Accounting (53 graduates) earns $46,370 at one year and $55,175 at four years, with $28,446 median debt - the highest at UHV - and a 0.61 ratio (C grade). The four-year earnings ceiling is below expectations for accounting given strong initial demand for the credential. The higher-than-average debt reflects students borrowing more than the net price would imply, possibly including living costs and fees. CPA licensure completion after graduation significantly improves the long-term earnings trajectory.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (53 graduates) earns $37,275 at one year and $62,054 at four years, with $18,314 debt and a 0.49 ratio (C+ grade). The wide gap between one- and four-year earnings suggests early career business graduates are advancing into supervisory and management roles as they accumulate experience. South Texas's industrial employer base and UHV's professional business network provide regional placement, particularly in operations and supply chain roles.
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Multidisciplinary Studies (125 graduates - the largest cohort at UHV) earns $47,803 at one year and $53,837 at four years, with $25,930 median debt and a 0.54 ratio (C+ grade). This broad credential likely captures working professionals completing degree requirements across varied fields.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 68.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 69.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 61.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 68.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Houston-Victoria’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 | 95.9% |
| Enrollment | 2,513 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 48.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,358 |
UHV admits 95.9% of applicants with no published test score ranges - essentially open enrollment. Most students transfer from community colleges or enroll as working adults. The completion rate of 26.4% suggests significant stop-out patterns, underscoring the importance of advising, course load management, and financial continuity planning for enrolled students. Declaring a major and connecting with an academic advisor in the first semester are associated with higher persistence at institutions with this profile.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Houston-Victoria (this school) | 67 | $8,109 | $54,467 |
| University of Arkansas Grantham | 69 | $8,370 | $63,496 |
| University of Hawaii-West Oahu | 67 | $10,327 | $52,075 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | 63 | $18,071 | $63,435 |
| Angelo State University | 49 | $15,091 | $50,116 |
| Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | 48 | $15,225 | $51,865 |
Who Thrives Here
UHV suits working adults and non-traditional students in South Texas who need affordable, flexible degree completion pathways. Finance, accounting, business, and computer science students get the clearest ROI. Students in Victoria's petrochemical and energy corridor benefit from industry proximity.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
University of Houston-Victoria is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $8,109 a year after aid ($32,436 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $54,467 a decade out, the cost takes about 8.9 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 26.4% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 69.6% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $18,973 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $43,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.43, 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-Victoria: Common Questions
Is University of Houston-Victoria worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether University of Houston-Victoria is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 67/100 on our ROI scale. At $8,109 a year after aid ($32,436 over four years) against $54,467 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 8.9 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does University of Houston-Victoria 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 $8,109 a year, or roughly $32,436 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-Victoria graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $54,467 ten years after enrolling, roughly $12,667 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-Victoria?
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 8.9 years for University of Houston-Victoria. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Houston-Victoria graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $18,973, against average earnings of $43,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.43. 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-Victoria?
The six-year graduation rate is 26.4%. 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.