Quad

University of Houston-Downtown

Houston, TXQuad's selectivityOpen
Known forEconomic diversityFirst-gen friendlyTest-optional heavy
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

9 in 10 applicants admitted

U. Houston-Downtown admits about 9 in 10 applicants (90%). That puts it in the "Open" tier, more selective than 23% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

90%

90%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityOpen

Applied

6,551

Admitted

5,893

Yield

20%

of admits enroll

Avg. GPA

3.29

SAT middle 50%

940–1110

8001600
ACT middle 50%

16–22

1236
Applications +103% since fall 2014 · admit rate 84% → 90%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A medium campus of 12,555 undergrads, where 55% receive Pell Grants, a high share compared to other colleges.

12.6K

undergrads · larger than 91% of colleges

Diversity index

0.60

Pell Grant

55%

above the median

First generation

53%

above the median

Large cityNo college housingROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research
Less diverse · index 0.73 → 0.60 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Psychology, General (10% of graduates). 18 students for every faculty member, more than at 83% of colleges. 54% of faculty are full-time. Spends $6,787 a year on instruction per student.

18 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 83% of colleges

Most popular major

Psychology, General

10% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians

$112.2K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

54%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$6.8K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

What students pay, price by family income, debt, and who gets grants.

$10.8K

net price per year for first-years with grants

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$20,749 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Little need-based aid above $110K
aid thins out for families above that income
Federal loans

30%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $53,551 ten years after enrolling, more than at 49% of colleges; 55% graduate within six years.

55%

55%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$53.6K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$18.8K

≈ $199/month for 10 years

Retention

67%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 19% → 33% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Applications rose 103% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 84% to 90%.

  • Applications

    Growing

    +102%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 84% → 90%

  • Diversity

    Less diverse

    index 0.73 → 0.60

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

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91% admit · 8.4K undergrads

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California State University-Northridge

93% admit · 32.7K undergrads

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California State University-Fullerton

91% admit · 38.5K undergrads

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California State University-Fresno

95% admit · 21.6K undergrads

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    University of Houston-Downtown Common Data Set 2023–24

    University of Houston-Downtown · Fall 2023; 2023–24; Fall 2024 entrants; Fall 2024 cycle; 2024–25; Class of 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-05

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    State laws on public colleges

    State legislatures (statutes read and summarized by hand) · In effect since January 1, 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-03

  18. 18
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  19. 19
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  20. 20
    University of Houston-Downtown (2026)

    University of Houston-Downtown · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 225432 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything