For low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions
Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Prairie View A & M University #117 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Prairie View A & M University sits in the 89.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting graduates who earn about $12,673 more than similar students at comparable institutions. Azimuth ranks Prairie View A & M University #55 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Prairie View A&M University's composite standing reflects a broad-access mission that consistently converts enrollment into meaningful graduate earnings, placing it among the stronger performers in the nonprofit four-year institutions for the combination of access and earnings beyond expectations. The university's access rank and earnings-beyond-expectations percentile together signal that students who enroll — many from Pell-eligible and first-generation backgrounds — graduate into outcomes that outpace what similar students achieve at comparable institutions.
Azimuth ranks Prairie View A & M University #117 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions, in the 92.2 percentile. The current structured profile shows retention at 75.6% and a six-year graduation rate of 43.2%. Return on investment ranks #569, with graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $60,602. Graduates earn about $12,673 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 89.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability sits in the 65.9 percentile; published cost of attendance is $26,362, and the middle-income net price is $16,024. Access sits in the 96.3 percentile, with 65.6% receiving Pell Grants and 33.5% first-generation.
Prairie View A&M University's published cost of attendance is $26,362, but need-based aid meaningfully reduces what most families pay. Low-income families see a net price of approximately $12,120, while middle-income families pay around $16,024, and higher-income families pay approximately $16,376. Azimuth ranks Prairie View A & M University #486 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Prairie View A&M participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, including Pell Grants and Texas-specific grant funding that can substantially reduce out-of-pocket costs for qualifying students. The university's public-institution tuition structure, combined with its HBCU mission of broad access, means that many students — particularly those from lower- and middle-income households — benefit from aid packages that bring annual costs well below the sticker price. Families are encouraged to review the net price illusion to understand how published costs and actual costs can differ substantially. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $27,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $16,012; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $60,602, median federal debt of $27,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $305 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Prairie View A&M University is a strong fit for students drawn to business, applied sciences, and professional fields who want a public historically Black university experience in TX with a clear path to stable post-graduation earnings. Graduates earn median $60,602 four years after enrollment, placing Prairie View A & M University in the 45.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions — and graduates earn about $12,673 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the university in the 89.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Prairie View A & M University enrolls a large share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 65.6% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 33.5% are first-generation — and the university's completion and mobility outcomes reflect a genuine commitment to serving students who need the most from their degree. Prairie View A & M University sits in the 32.1 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions, a historical 10-year Scorecard measure, underscoring the institution's value for cost-sensitive families. Fit depends on two realistic filters: Prairie View A & M University's program portfolio is concentrated in Business and related applied fields, so students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes; and students who need to borrow should weigh median debt of $27,000 against the earnings trajectory the degree supports.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the Prairie View A & M University hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Prairie View A&M University's published cost of attendance is $26,362, but need-based aid meaningfully reduces what most families pay. Low-income families see a net price of approximately $12,120, while middle-income families pay around $16,024, and higher-income families pay approximately $16,376.
Azimuth ranks Prairie View A & M University #486 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Prairie View A&M participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, including Pell Grants and Texas-specific grant funding that can substantially reduce out-of-pocket costs for qualifying students. The university's public-institution tuition structure, combined with its HBCU mission of broad access, means that many students — particularly those from lower- and middle-income households — benefit from aid packages that bring annual costs well below the sticker price.
Families are encouraged to review the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) to understand how published costs and actual costs can differ substantially. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $27,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $16,012; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $60,602, median federal debt of $27,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $305 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
25 graduates
Chemical Engineering
50 graduates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
107 graduates
Mechanical Engineering
67 graduates
Civil Engineering
10 graduates
Prairie View A & M University's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 14% of degree output, followed by Engineering at 12% and Arts at 2%. That concentration in applied-professional fields shapes the institution's overall earnings profile and reflects a portfolio oriented toward direct workforce entry.
Across 34 programs serving roughly 1,427 students annually, 22 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold. Nursing combines the largest cohort with strong earnings, making it the program that contributes most to the institution's aggregate financial outcomes.
The Kinesiology program graduates 146 students annually with median earnings of $46,693 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #135 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Criminal Justice (129 graduates, $47,743) and Psychology, General (121 graduates, $44,240) round out the largest programs by enrollment.
On the earnings side, Azimuth ranks Chemical Engineering #99 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $92,591 — the highest four-year figure at the institution. Nursing follows at $91,910, and Azimuth ranks it #140 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Several of Prairie View A & M University's strongest programs — particularly in engineering and nursing — are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly and four-year earnings reflect actual labor-market outcomes. Programs in fields like biology and the social sciences are more likely to serve as grad-school-dependent pathways, where four-year earnings undercount the long-term trajectory of graduates who continue to professional or graduate study.
The [supply-demand map for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how the institution's dominant program families align with national hiring trends, and the [program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) explains how Azimuth evaluates individual programs. ```
Graduates of Prairie View A & M University earn median 4-year earnings of $60,602, placing Prairie View A & M University in the 45.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $12,673 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 89.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Prairie View A & M University #569 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major.
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness reports 146 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $46,693, ranked #193 nationally in its major. Criminal Justice and Corrections reports 129 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $47,743, ranked #188 nationally in its major.
Psychology, General reports 121 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $44,240, ranked #298 nationally in its major. Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing reports 107 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $91,910, ranked #162 nationally in its major.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University Of Washington-Bothell Campus Similar quality tier (#4240 ranked) | WA | 91% | $78,466 | #4240 | Compare |
University At Albany Similar quality tier (#4242 ranked) | NY | 69% | $67,979 | #4242 | Compare |
Texas Woman's University Similar quality tier in Southwest (#4244 ranked) | TX | 96% | $56,544 | #4244 | Compare |
Sam Houston State University Similar quality tier in Southwest (#4245 ranked) | TX | 90% | $54,211 | #4245 | Compare |
Texas A & M International University Similar quality tier in Southwest (#4236 ranked) | TX | 44% | $48,386 | #4236 | Compare |
