Compare 43 Public Finance. programs in Texas. Average earnings: $62,085.
With top graduates earning $114K, Public Finance stands out as a field where program choice matters more than school name. The gap between the best and median programs exceeds $52K—proof that evaluating programs individually beats relying on institutional prestige.
Southern Methodist University's Public Finance program leads with graduates earning $114K, significantly above the $62K average across Texas programs. But UT Austin follows closely at $96K, while Texas A&M delivers $91K—demonstrating that multiple approaches can produce strong outcomes in this specialized field.
High earnings don't tell the whole story—debt burden matters. Southern Methodist University graduates borrow $19,500 and face just a 2.9% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. That means loan payments take a minimal bite out of their post-grad income, making the premium program surprisingly affordable.
Highest program earnings: $113,839
Strong outcomes with 61% acceptance
2.9% payment burden | Excellent
9.5% family burden | Good
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Cohort Size | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $113,839 | 287 | $19,500 | Excellent | $40,025 | Good | |
| #2 | $95,994 | 411 | $20,500 | Excellent | $26,632 | Good | |
| #3 | $90,976 | 285 | $17,804 | Excellent | $32,258 | Good | |
| #4 | Texas Christian UniversityPrivate | $90,933 | 174 | $21,500 | Excellent | $54,925 | Manageable |
| #5 | Baylor UniversityPrivate | $86,622 | 158 | $23,000 | Excellent | $50,786 | Manageable |
| #6 | Trinity UniversityPrivate | $86,204 | 29 | $22,954 | Excellent | $19,986 | Good |
| #7 | Texas Tech UniversityPublic | $83,160 | 204 | $21,500 | Excellent | $23,443 | Good |
| #8 | Abilene Christian UniversityPrivate | $78,790 | 71 | $24,250 | Excellent | $26,542 | Manageable |
| #9 | St. Mary's UniversityPrivate | $75,162 | 38 | $25,563 | Excellent | $16,723 | Good |
| #10 | $72,322 | 215 | $18,000 | Excellent | $21,495 | Good | |
| #11 | Saint Edward's UniversityPrivate | $71,193 | 45 | $24,803 | Excellent | $28,135 | Manageable |
| #12 | $70,865 | 11 | $22,934 | Excellent | $14,224 | Good | |
| #13 | University Of HoustonPublic | $68,263 | 369 | $18,194 | Excellent | $18,072 | Good |
| #14 | $67,308 | 149 | $19,250 | Excellent | $23,211 | Manageable | |
| #15 | Texas State UniversityPublic | $65,858 | 288 | $21,000 | Excellent | $22,500 | Manageable |
| #16 | $61,702 | 140 | $18,750 | Excellent | $10,000 | Good | |
| #17 | $61,595 | 61 | $23,409 | Good | $18,080 | Manageable | |
| #18 | $61,212 | 135 | $21,983 | Excellent | $19,433 | Manageable | |
| #19 | $59,999 | 181 | $20,500 | Excellent | $13,859 | Manageable | |
| #20 | $59,313 | 279 | $17,527 | Excellent | $12,313 | Good | |
| #21 | $58,271 | 53 | $17,831 | Excellent | $14,731 | Manageable | |
| #22 | $57,899 | 42 | $21,030 | Good | $19,367 | Manageable | |
| #23 | $57,175 | 30 | $18,973 | Excellent | $11,724 | Manageable | |
| #24 | Dallas Baptist UniversityPrivate | $57,151 | 37 | $21,591 | Good | $19,836 | Manageable |
| #25 | $56,791 | 19 | $27,000 | Good | $16,012 | Challenging |
Our program rankings answer: "Which schools have the best outcomes for graduates of this specific major?"
Unlike traditional rankings that measure overall school quality, these rankings focus on program-level outcomes. A school that's #200 overall might have a top-10 nursing program — and that matters if you're studying nursing.
Data based on 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
