Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Texas
Colleges ranked by how many years of extra earnings, above a high school graduate’s, cover four years of net price.
Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Texas17 schools
17 schools qualify, ranked by payback years.
How this list is made
- Schools in Texas.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
- Has median earnings ten years after enrolling and a net price from federal data (College Scorecard), and those earnings are above a high school graduate’s ($48,360 a year: median weekly earnings of $930 for full-time workers with a high school diploma, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Payback years = four years of net price ÷ (earnings − a high school graduate’s earnings). Ordered by payback years, fewest first. A simple estimate: it leaves out interest, taxes and earnings growth.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Rice University
Houston, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Texas
- Pays back in about 1.3 years
- Earnings $89,718 ten years out
- 2
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX · PublicHonor Roll#2 in Texas
- Pays back in about 3.0 years
- Earnings $75,121 ten years out
- 3
Texas A&M University-College Station
College Station, TX · PublicHonor Roll#6 in Texas
- Pays back in about 3.6 years
- Earnings $72,097 ten years out
- 4
The University of Texas at Dallas
Richardson, TX · Public#8 in Texas
- Pays back in about 3.7 years
- Earnings $68,227 ten years out
- 5
Trinity University
San Antonio, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#3 in Texas
- Pays back in about 4.0 years
- Earnings $71,668 ten years out
- 6
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX · Public#18 in Texas
- Pays back in about 5.4 years
- Earnings $62,454 ten years out
- 7
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#4 in Texas
- Pays back in about 5.5 years
- Earnings $78,354 ten years out
- 8
Austin College
Sherman, TX · Private nonprofit#14 in Texas
- Pays back in about 6.5 years
- Earnings $61,296 ten years out
- 9
University of St. Thomas
Houston, TX · Private nonprofitTop 22% for graduation
- Pays back in about 7.1 years
- Earnings $59,224 ten years out
- 10
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#5 in Texas
- Pays back in about 7.3 years
- Earnings $68,424 ten years out
- 11
Galen College of Nursing-San Antonio
San Antonio, TX · Private for-profitTop 10% for graduation
- Pays back in about 8.9 years
- Earnings $61,480 ten years out
- 12
University of Dallas
Irving, TX · Private nonprofit#13 in Texas
- Pays back in about 9.1 years
- Earnings $58,285 ten years out
- 13
Baylor University
Waco, TX · Private nonprofit#7 in Texas
- Pays back in about 9.4 years
- Earnings $65,793 ten years out
- 14
Saint Edward's University
Austin, TX · Private nonprofit#22 in Texas
- Pays back in about 9.8 years
- Earnings $58,826 ten years out
- 15
LeTourneau University
Longview, TX · Private nonprofit#17 in Texas
- Pays back in about 12.9 years
- Earnings $57,103 ten years out
- 16
Southwestern University
Georgetown, TX · Private nonprofit#11 in Texas
- Pays back in about 13.7 years
- Earnings $56,878 ten years out
- 17
Abilene Christian University
Abilene, TX · Private nonprofit#20 in Texas
- Pays back in about 14.2 years
- Earnings $55,736 ten years out
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice University | $13,370 | $11,000 | $89,718 | 95% |
| The University of Texas at Austin | $19,857 | $20,500 | $75,121 | 89% |
| Texas A&M University-College Station | $21,315 | $17,804 | $72,097 | 84% |
| The University of Texas at Dallas | $18,267 | $18,000 | $68,227 | 76% |
| Trinity University | $23,464 | $22,954 | $71,668 | 84% |
| Texas Tech University | $19,070 | $21,500 | $62,454 | 69% |
| Southern Methodist University | $40,892 | $19,500 | $78,354 | 84% |
| Austin College | $21,107 | $24,500 | $61,296 | 67% |
| University of St. Thomas | $19,359 | $19,928 | $59,224 | 69% |
| Texas Christian University | $36,660 | $21,500 | $68,424 | 86% |
| Galen College of Nursing-San Antonio | $29,104 | $24,166 | $61,480 | 81% |
| University of Dallas | $22,610 | $23,117 | $58,285 | 73% |
| Baylor University | $41,104 | $23,000 | $65,793 | 80% |
| Saint Edward's University | $25,578 | $24,803 | $58,826 | 63% |
| LeTourneau University | $28,185 | $26,000 | $57,103 | 59% |
| Southwestern University | $29,224 | $25,000 | $56,878 | 73% |
| Abilene Christian University | $26,182 | $24,250 | $55,736 | 59% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 5
- Arizona 3
- Arkansas 5
- California 54
- Colorado 6
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 15
- Georgia 9
- Illinois 19
- Indiana 19
- Iowa 15
- Kansas 3
- Kentucky 5
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 7
- Maryland 14
- Massachusetts 38
- Michigan 19
- Minnesota 17
- Missouri 13
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 4
- New Jersey 16
- New York 67
- North Carolina 15
- Ohio 28
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 9
- Pennsylvania 54
- Rhode Island 8
- South Carolina 6
- Tennessee 7
- Utah 4
- Vermont 5
- Virginia 19
- Washington 13
- Wisconsin 13