Quad

University of Houston

Houston, TXQuad's selectivitySelective
Known forBig campusVery diverse
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2025

8 in 10 applicants admitted

U. Houston admits about 8 in 10 applicants (76%). That puts it in the "Selective" tier, more selective than 53% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

76%

76%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivitySelective

Applied

34,728

Admitted

26,312

Yield

25%

of admits enroll

Avg. GPA

3.46

SAT middle 50%

1140–1310

10001600
ACT middle 50%

22–28

1836
Applications +83% since fall 2014 · admit rate 63% → 74%Over time

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

Students

Who's on campus

A very large campus of 38,380 undergrads, where 42% receive Pell Grants, a high share compared to other colleges.

38.4K

undergrads · larger than 99% of colleges

Diversity index

0.76

Pell Grant

42%

above the median

First generation

40%

above the median

Large cityNCAA D-I FBS · Big Twelve ConferenceROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research
Steady · index 0.77 → 0.76 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Psychology, General (9% of graduates). 22 students for every faculty member, more than at 95% of colleges. 80% of faculty are full-time. Spends $9,920 a year on instruction per student.

22 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 95% of colleges

Most popular major

Psychology, General

9% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Chemical Engineering

$110.2K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

80%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$9.9K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $18,514 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $5.8K less than the national median. The 74% who received grants paid $14,309 on average; the other 26% paid the full sticker price of $26,734 in-state / $39,214 out-of-state.

33%

$18.5K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $5.8K below the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$26,734 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
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 33% of full price

Federal loans

32%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office
Cost falling · −9% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $62,377 ten years after enrolling, more than at 73% of colleges; 63% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.2 years of that salary.

63%

63%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$62.4K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$18.2K

≈ $193/month for 10 years

Retention

87%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 48% → 65% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 10% after inflation, and what the average first-year paid moved with it. Applications rose 83% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 63% to 74%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −9% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +83%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 63% → 74% (to fall 2024)

  • Diversity

    Steady

    index 0.77 → 0.76

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

University of Illinois Chicago

76% admit · SAT 1240 · 22.2K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
Compare side-by-side

University at Albany

69% admit · 12.6K undergrads

Similar sizeAlso public
Compare side-by-side

University of California-Riverside

76% admit · 22.6K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso public
Compare side-by-side

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

78% admit · SAT 1245 · 25.8K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
Compare side-by-side
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
    University of Houston Common Data Set 2025–26

    University of Houston · Fall 2025; Fall 2027 applicants; 2025–26; Fall 2026 cycle · retrieved 2026-10-04

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

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

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

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

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

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

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

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

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

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

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

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

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

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

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

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

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

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

  13. 13
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · 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 (2026)

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

IPEDS unit ID 225511 · 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