Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley #11 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley sits in the 89.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, meaning graduates earn about $12,491 more than similar students at comparable institutions. Azimuth ranks The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley #40 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Students at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley earn median earnings of $53,888 four years after enrollment, and the university's earnings-beyond-expectations standing shows that graduates consistently outpace what similar students achieve at comparable institutions. The composite ranking captures how The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley combines strong access, meaningful earnings gains, and an affordable public-tuition structure into a financially grounded path for students in the Rio Grande Valley.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley prices its education accessibly across the income spectrum. Low-income families pay approximately $3,785 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $5,665, and higher-income families pay correspondingly more at roughly $13,782. Azimuth ranks The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley #18 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. Need-based aid plays a meaningful role in how students experience cost at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The university participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, and work-study is available as part of the aid structure, per the financial aid page. Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA, and the combination of Pell Grants, institutional grants, and work-study opportunities helps close the gap between published costs and what students actually pay. The net price illusion is worth understanding here — the sticker price and the net price can differ substantially, particularly for lower-income families. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $12,950, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $8,107; 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 $53,888, median federal debt of $12,950 projects to a monthly payment of about $146 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a strong fit for students from South TX and the broader South who want an affordable public university path with meaningful long-term earnings outcomes, particularly those drawn to the biological sciences, health professions, and applied fields that define the institution's program mix. Graduates earn about $12,491 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in the 89.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions — a signal that the university delivers more than raw earnings figures alone suggest. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $53,888, placing The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in the 13.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access profile is broad. 65.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 52.6% are first-generation college students — among the highest concentrations of any public university in the country — and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley sits in the 50.9 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions on a historical 10-year Scorecard measure, meaning this cohort achieves meaningful post-graduation returns despite entering with fewer financial resources. Fit depends on two realistic filters: students whose interests align with Biological Sciences, health, and applied professional fields will find the strongest program-level outcomes, and families weighing net price should note that higher-income families pay up to $13,782 annually — context worth modeling against typical debt of $12,950 before enrolling.
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 The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Azimuth ranks The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley #10 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions, in the 99.4 percentile. The current structured profile shows retention at 81.1% and a six-year graduation rate of 50.9%. Return on investment ranks #768, with graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $53,888. Graduates earn about $12,491 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 89.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability sits in the 98.8 percentile; published cost of attendance is $16,830, and the middle-income net price is $5,665. Access sits in the 97.4 percentile, with 65.1% receiving Pell Grants and 52.6% first-generation.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Texas A&M University-College Station Similar quality tier in Southwest (#21 ranked) | TX | 57% | $72,097 | #21 | Compare |
San Jose State University Similar quality tier (#20 ranked) | CA | 85% | $78,988 | #20 | Compare |
University Of Houston Similar quality tier in Southwest (#19 ranked) | TX | 74% | $62,377 | #19 | Compare |
Cuny Hunter College Similar quality tier (#18 ranked) | NY | 54% | $63,163 | #18 | Compare |
University Of California-Los Angeles Similar quality tier (#23 ranked) | CA | 9% | $82,511 | #23 | Compare |
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley prices its education accessibly across the income spectrum. Low-income families pay approximately $3,785 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $5,665, and higher-income families pay correspondingly more at roughly $13,782.
Azimuth ranks The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley #18 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.
Need-based aid plays a meaningful role in how students experience cost at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The university participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, and work-study is available as part of the aid structure, per the financial aid page.
Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA, and the combination of Pell Grants, institutional grants, and work-study opportunities helps close the gap between published costs and what students actually pay. The [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is worth understanding here — the sticker price and the net price can differ substantially, particularly for lower-income families.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $12,950, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $8,107; 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 $53,888, median federal debt of $12,950 projects to a monthly payment of about $146 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/).
Graduates of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley earn median 4-year earnings of $53,888, placing The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in the 13.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $12,491 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 89.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley #768 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major.
Biology, General reports 587 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $47,954, ranked #237 nationally in its major. Criminal Justice and Corrections reports 581 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $49,979, ranked #105 nationally in its major.
Psychology, General reports 486 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $40,140, ranked #289 nationally in its major. Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness reports 310 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $53,769, ranked #65 nationally in its major.
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
183 graduates
Mechanical Engineering
122 graduates
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
44 graduates
Computer Engineering
47 graduates
Civil Engineering
100 graduates
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's program mix is anchored in Biological Sciences, which accounts for 11% of degree output, followed by Engineering at 7% and Arts at 4%. The largest programs by cohort size are Biology, General (587 graduates), Criminal Justice (581 graduates), and Psychology, General (486 graduates).
Across 50 programs serving roughly 4,809 students annually, 37 meet Azimuth's [program-ranking threshold](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). The highest-earning programs at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley cluster in applied and professional fields.
Nursing leads with median 4-year earnings of $88,067 from a cohort of 183 graduates, and Azimuth ranks the program #154 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Interdisciplinary Studies follows with median 4-year earnings of $56,493 from 240 graduates, and Azimuth ranks it #48 among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The Kinesiology program graduates 310 students with median 4-year earnings of $53,769, and Azimuth ranks the program #80 among nonprofit four-year institutions. Several of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's largest programs — including Biology, General and Kinesiology — are grad-school-dependent pathways where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory because a meaningful share of graduates continue to medical school or graduate study.
Interdisciplinary Studies, with 240 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $56,493, represents a more direct-to-workforce pathway where four-year earnings better reflect labor-market outcomes. The [supply-demand map](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these fields align with national wage trends.
