1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Abilene Christian University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Abilene Christian University TX · Medium private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #1153 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/abilene-christian-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/abilene-christian-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/abilene-christian-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/abilene-christian-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/abilene-christian-university/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Abilene Christian University #1,153 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Abilene Christian University is a private nonprofit university in Abilene, Texas, where the largest degree families are Business and Health Professions. Return is the strongest pillar, but it sits modestly below average. Graduates earn less than the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes an addition to the factors it measures and a subtraction to the remainder it cannot explain. Pell recipients complete at a rate that is below the overall rate, and mobility is below the levels seen at many peers. Access and affordability are both modestly below average. The admission rate is below the median for comparable schools. The earnings picture sits below the peer median, while the net price is lower for the lowest income band than for the highest. ## Abilene Christian University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 66.0% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 59.0% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $59,305 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $23,012 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $24,250 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $26,542 ## Abilene Christian University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Abilene Christian University is a private nonprofit university in Abilene, Texas, enrolling 3,195 undergraduates. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, its position falls in the lower quarter (the 21st percentile). The admission rate is 66.0%, while the peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is 71.2%. For the first-time full-time cohort, 80.5% remain enrolled for a second year. The median among comparable institutions is 83.4%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 59.0% for the first-time full-time cohort. The peer median is 68.8%. An estimated 10.7% of students enter as transfers or part-time students, so that completion figure leaves out anyone who began elsewhere. Return is the strongest pillar, at the 42nd percentile, while mobility is the weakest, at the 10th percentile. Access ties with return at the 42nd percentile, while affordability sits between them and mobility at the 27th percentile. The four are spread across the lower half of the distribution, with mobility trailing well behind the other three. Azimuth evaluates Abilene Christian University across four pillars among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. Return is the strongest, in the 42nd percentile, and access is close behind at the 42nd percentile. Affordability sits in the 27th percentile. Mobility is the weakest pillar, in the 10th percentile. For enrolled students who submitted scores, the middle half of SAT results stretched from 1,070 to 1,270. The middle half of ACT results stretched from 22 to 28. Pell Grants reach 22.3% of undergraduates, a figure covering the institution's federal-aid reporting units rather than this campus alone. For access, Azimuth places Abilene Christian University at #848 among nonprofit four-year institutions. The six-year completion rate among Pell recipients is 48.2%, a level that falls 10.8 percentage points below the rate for the entering cohort as a whole. Azimuth ranks the university #1,324 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $7,697 less than the model expects for similar students. [How value-added outcomes are assessed](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) · [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Abilene Christian University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #1,153 | | [Texas](/rankings/best-colleges-in-texas/) | #71 | | [South](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-south/) | #395 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 10 **Access & reach** National percentile: 42 **[Affordability](/school/abilene-christian-university/cost/)** National percentile: 27 **[Return on investment](/school/abilene-christian-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 42 01 / Abilene Christian University briefing ## [Abilene Christian University cost & financial aid](/school/abilene-christian-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Attending Abilene Christian University carries a published cost of attendance of $59,256. Tuition and fees run $44,200, and room and board add another $14,540. At the university, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) comes to $26,182, $1,189 below the median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Grants and scholarships cover about 56% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, cutting the sticker price by $33,074. Azimuth ranks the university #1,036 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That places the affordability pillar in the 27th percentile. The published cost of attendance at Abilene Christian University is $59,256. Azimuth ranks the university #1,036 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients from families earning under $30,000 is $20,285, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $23,012, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $31,763. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $11,478. Aid covers about 56% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. The average net price across all aid recipients is $26,182, which is $1,189 below the $27,371 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median of $24,250 in federal student loans. That is $51 above the $24,199 median for comparable institutions. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $26,542 in [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $276 a month. Your family income Choose a household income range to see estimated net price. $0–30K$30–48K$48–75K$75–110K$110K+ Reported average annual net price · $48–75K**$23,012** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Abilene Christian University Borrowers who complete a degree at Abilene Christian University leave with a median of $24,250 in federal student loans. 91.3% of federal aid recipients borrow federally. That median sits $51 above the $24,199 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Parents who borrow through the [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a separate median of $26,542. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $59,305, at the 48th percentile nationally. That figure is $8,945 below the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $7,697 less than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 26th percentile. Earnings scenarios, estimated from Abilene Christian University's program mix, range from $49,830 on the downside to $87,672 on the upside. Borrowers who finish carry a median of $24,250 in federal loans, which is $51 above the median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $276 a month if repaid over ten years. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $26,542. For borrowers with median federal student debt, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $276 a month if repaid over ten years. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $24,250 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $26,542 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $276/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $337/mo Payments use school-wide median balances, not a specific major’s. Payment assumptions Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates. [Explore your own numbers in Financial GPS](/financial-gps/?tool=student&school=abilene-christian-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/abilene-christian-university/cost/) 02 / Abilene Christian University briefing ## [Abilene Christian University career outcomes & earnings](/school/abilene-christian-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Azimuth places the return pillar for Abilene Christian University at the 42nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The median earnings for federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled four years after completion is $59,305, at the 48th percentile. That figure sits $8,945 below the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $7,697 less than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 26th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $3,703. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $11,400. The STEM component among those measured factors adds $1,045. Four years after graduating, federally aided completers from Abilene Christian University who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $59,305. The earnings cohort for this measure numbers 765 completers. Graduates earn about $7,697 less than the model expects for similar students. That gap places the university at the 26th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, show a typical outcome of $59,305. The downside earnings scenario is $49,830 and the upside reaches $87,672. An estimated 28.8% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. The median earnings for Abilene Christian University graduates sit at $59,305 four years after completion, at the 48th percentile nationally. That is $8,945 below the $68,250 median for comparable institutions. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #847 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $7,697 less than the model expects for similar students. That puts the gap at the 26th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $3,703. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $11,400. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $1,045. The largest degree families include Business, Health Professions and Liberal Arts & General Studies. Estimated from that mix, the downside earnings scenario is $49,830 and the upside is $87,672. An estimated 28.8% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. The earnings scenarios show a wide spread: from $49,830 on the downside to $87,672 on the upside. That range is the spread of earnings across all programs at Abilene Christian University. At the upper end, Accounting graduates earn a median of $93,032 four years after completion, from 19 degrees awarded. Computer Science follows at $91,894, and the largest program with published earnings, Nursing, reports $89,079. The published cost of attendance at Abilene Christian University is $59,256. For aid recipients, the average net price—what students pay after grants and scholarships—is $26,182, which is $1,189 below the $27,371 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete a degree leave with a median of $24,250 in federal student loans. That figure is $51 above the peer median of $24,199. If repaid over ten years, the debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $276 a month. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $26,542 in Parent PLUS loans. The return picture is mixed: graduates earn about $7,697 less than the model expects for similar students, and the median earnings sit below the peer median. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$3,703 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$11,400 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$7,697 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. [Read the full outcomes brief](/school/abilene-christian-university/outcomes/) 03 / Abilene Christian University briefing ## [Abilene Christian University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/abilene-christian-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Abilene Christian University admits 66.0% of applicants. The median admission rate for comparable institutions (same type and size) is 71.2%, so the university is somewhat more selective than its peers. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 66.0% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1070 **Reported average** 1194 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1270 Enrolled students who submitted scores. This range is not an admission cutoff. The endpoints add section percentiles; they are not verified composite-score percentiles. A separate SAT-equivalent average is not plotted as a median. Source: College Scorecard; sum of section 25th/75th percentiles; enrolled score-submitters. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/abilene-christian-university/admissions/) 04 / Abilene Christian University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Abilene Christian University?](/school/abilene-christian-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The highest-earning programs at Abilene Christian University span business, health and STEM fields. Accounting graduates report a median of $93,032 four years after completion, from 19 degrees awarded. Computer Science follows at $91,894, with 15 degrees awarded. The largest program with published earnings, Nursing, awards 48 degrees a year and posts median earnings of $89,079. Psychology, tied in size at 48 degrees, sits at the more moderate end with median earnings of $51,705. Across all fields, 16.3% of degrees awarded are in STEM. The spread between a program like Accounting and one like Psychology shows how much field of study shapes the earnings picture here. Business accounts for 19.7% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Health Professions second at 12.4%. The university has 16 programs with published four-year earnings. Nursing is the largest program with published earnings, at 48 degrees a year, and graduates earn a median of $89,079. The highest-earning program is Accounting, at $93,032 from 19 degrees a year. Computer Science follows at $91,894, from a smaller cohort of 15 degrees. The degree mix at Abilene Christian University is led by Business, which accounts for 19.7% of bachelor's degrees awarded. Health Professions is next at 12.4%, and Liberal Arts & General Studies follows at 8.3%. The university has 16 programs with published four-year earnings data. The largest programs with published earnings are Nursing and Psychology, each with 48 degrees awarded. Business Administration and Management is next at 39 degrees, and Kinesiology and Physical Education awards 39. The highest-earning program is Accounting, where graduates earn a median of $93,032 four years after completion, from 19 degrees awarded. Computer Science follows at $91,894, though with just 15 degrees a year. Nursing, the largest program with published earnings, has graduates who earn $89,079 four years after completion. The pattern is one of a few high-earning, smaller programs alongside larger programs with more moderate earnings. Psychology, for instance, has graduates who earn $51,705 four years after completion, while Communication Disorders Sciences and Services graduates earn $70,864 four years after completion from 16 degrees. Across all fields, 16.3% of degrees are in STEM. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities 52 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Psychology, General 48 degrees awarded** $51,705 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 48 degrees awarded** $89,079 **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 39 degrees awarded** $62,645 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 39 degrees awarded** $63,259 **Marketing 28 degrees awarded** $65,244 Fields selected by reported completions. Counts describe credentials awarded, not unique students or the earnings sample. Bars show median four-year earnings. [Read the full majors brief](/school/abilene-christian-university/majors/) 05 / Abilene Christian University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Abilene Christian University?](/school/abilene-christian-university/similar/)[\[15\]](#hub-data-note-peers) Azimuth groups alternatives by admissions, location, cost and earnings, then orders candidates within each group. Peer earnings use the matched four-year cohort. [How matching works](/school/abilene-christian-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Abilene Christian University. Admissions peerTexas Tech University72.7% admitted+ Comparison with Abilene Christian University | Measure | Abilene Christian University | Texas Tech University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,305 | $66,144+$6,839 vs Abilene Christian University | | Average annual net price | $23,698 | $19,070\-$4,628 vs Abilene Christian University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 66.0% | 72.7% | [Explore Texas Tech University →](/school/texas-tech-university/) Higher-admission alternativeTarleton State University89.6% admitted+ Comparison with Abilene Christian University | Measure | Abilene Christian University | Tarleton State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,305 | $57,758\-$1,547 vs Abilene Christian University | | Average annual net price | $23,698 | $20,783\-$2,915 vs Abilene Christian University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 66.0% | 89.6% | [Explore Tarleton State University →](/school/tarleton-state-university/) Nearby alternativeTarleton State UniversityNearby option · TX+ Comparison with Abilene Christian University | Measure | Abilene Christian University | Tarleton State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,305 | $57,758\-$1,547 vs Abilene Christian University | | Average annual net price | $23,698 | $20,783\-$2,915 vs Abilene Christian University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 66.0% | 89.6% | [Explore Tarleton State University →](/school/tarleton-state-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeSUNY Maritime College$104,752 earnings+ Comparison with Abilene Christian University | Measure | Abilene Christian University | SUNY Maritime College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,305 | $104,752+$45,447 vs Abilene Christian University | | Average annual net price | $23,698 | $22,367\-$1,331 vs Abilene Christian University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 66.0% | 72.4% | [Explore SUNY Maritime College →](/school/suny-maritime-college/) Lower-cost alternativeAngelo State University$15,091 average net price+ Comparison with Abilene Christian University | Measure | Abilene Christian University | Angelo State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,305 | $54,923\-$4,382 vs Abilene Christian University | | Average annual net price | $23,698 | $15,091\-$8,607 vs Abilene Christian University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 66.0% | 83.0% | [Explore Angelo State University →](/school/angelo-state-university/) Similar profileUniversity of Mary Hardin-BaylorMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Abilene Christian University | Measure | Abilene Christian University | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $59,305 | $61,024+$1,719 vs Abilene Christian University | | Average annual net price | $23,698 | $26,106+$2,408 vs Abilene Christian University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 66.0% | 95.8% | [Explore University of Mary Hardin-Baylor →](/school/university-of-mary-hardin-baylor/) Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable. [Read the full similar schools brief](/school/abilene-christian-university/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)