Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Stephen F Austin State University #288 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Stephen F Austin State University sits in the 69.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earn about $2,821 more than similar students at comparable institutions. Azimuth ranks Stephen F Austin State University #150 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- Students at Stephen F Austin State University earn about $2,821 more than similar students at comparable institutions, a result that reflects the university's ability to move graduates into careers that outperform what background and program mix alone would predict. Graduates earn median $55,013 four years after enrollment, placing Stephen F Austin State University in the 24.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions — a combined signal of access, mobility, and return that anchors the institution's composite standing.
Azimuth ranks Stephen F Austin State University #288 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 80.1 percentile for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Nacogdoches, TX, Stephen F Austin State University enrolls roughly 8,728 undergraduates. Retention stands at 71.7% and the six-year graduation rate is 53.3%, reflecting a student body that largely completes what it starts. The composite is anchored by return on investment. Azimuth ranks Stephen F Austin State University #843 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 43.1 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median four-year earnings of $55,013, placing Stephen F Austin State University in the 24.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,821 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Stephen F Austin State University in the 69.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business is the dominant program family, and the concentration in career-oriented fields helps explain why graduates tend to enter the workforce with earnings that hold up relative to comparable institutions. Access and affordability shape the rest of the composite. Stephen F Austin State University sits in the 70.9 percentile for access and the 72.3 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 38.9% of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants and 35.4% identifying as first-generation students. Mobility sits in the 89.9 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting outcomes for a student population that is broadly representative of the region it serves.
Stephen F Austin State University's published cost of attendance is $25,791. Net price by income band shows meaningful variation: low-income families pay approximately $10,318, middle-income families pay around $13,100, and higher-income families pay approximately $22,959. Azimuth ranks Stephen F Austin State University #395 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The affordability rank reflects both the headline sticker price and the debt load graduates carry, shaped by the institution's public-tuition structure and need-based aid reach. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $23,409, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $18,080; 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 the typical graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $55,013, median federal debt of $23,409 projects to a monthly payment of about $264 under standard ten-year repayment. In a downside earnings scenario anchored on lower-earning program clusters, projected four-year earnings of $44,964 would narrow the monthly slack considerably — a pattern worth exploring at the program level rather than the institutional average. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Stephen F. Austin State University is a public university in Nacogdoches, TX, and a strong fit for students drawn to Business and related applied fields who want a regional institution with accessible net prices and a clear path to post-graduation employment in TX and the surrounding region. Graduates earn median $55,013 four years after enrollment, placing Stephen F Austin State University in the 24.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions — and earn about $2,821 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the university in the 69.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution enrolls a substantial share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 38.9% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 35.4% are first-generation — and the completion rate for Pell students is 52.6%, signaling that Stephen F Austin State University supports access-oriented students through to graduation. Higher-income families pay a net price of roughly $22,959, and typical student debt at graduation is around $23,409. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program mix is concentrated in Business and professionally oriented fields, so students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes, while those seeking a broad research-university environment may find the portfolio narrower than at larger flagships. The university's regional footprint also means graduates who plan to build careers in TX will be better positioned than those seeking national labor-market mobility.
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
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This is the Stephen F Austin State University hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New Jersey City University Similar quality tier (#10717 ranked) | NJ | 98% | $52,745 | #10717 | Compare |
Norfolk State University Similar quality tier (#10730 ranked) | VA | 88% | $44,666 | #10730 | Compare |
University Of Hawaii At Manoa Similar quality tier (#10716 ranked) | HI | 87% | $57,624 | #10716 | Compare |
Ball State University Similar quality tier (#10736 ranked) | IN | 86% | $51,833 | #10736 | Compare |
Nevada State University Similar quality tier in Southwest (#10742 ranked) | NV | 87% | $53,166 | #10742 | Compare |
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Stephen F Austin State University's published cost of attendance is $25,791. Net price by income band shows meaningful variation: low-income families pay approximately $10,318, middle-income families pay around $13,100, and higher-income families pay approximately $22,959.
Azimuth ranks Stephen F Austin State University #395 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The affordability rank reflects both the headline sticker price and the debt load graduates carry, shaped by the institution's public-tuition structure and need-based aid reach.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $23,409, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $18,080; 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 the typical graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $55,013, median federal debt of $23,409 projects to a monthly payment of about $264 under standard ten-year repayment.
In a downside earnings scenario anchored on lower-earning program clusters, projected four-year earnings of $44,964 would narrow the monthly slack considerably — a pattern worth exploring at the program level rather than the institutional average. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Stephen F. Austin State University earn median 4-year earnings of $42,900, placing Stephen F.
Austin State University in the 63rd percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Stephen F.
Austin State University 25th for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 87th percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent returns relative to Texas's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $29,200 — the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential.
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
136 graduates
Engineering Physics
15 graduates
Computer and Information Sciences, General
54 graduates
Accounting and Related Services
64 graduates
Finance and Financial Management Services
53 graduates
Stephen F Austin State University's program mix is anchored in Business, with meaningful enrollment across health, education, and applied-professional fields — a signature consistent with a regional public university serving East Texas. Interdisciplinary Studies is the largest program by graduate count, followed by Kinesiology, Nursing, Business/Commerce, General, and Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General.
The mix reflects Stephen F Austin State University's identity as a broad-access institution where students pursue careers in business, healthcare, education, and public service — fields with stable regional demand in the East Texas labor market. The strongest earnings outcomes at Stephen F Austin State University are concentrated in applied-professional and technical fields.
Nursing leads with median earnings of $84,107 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #212 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business/Commerce, General follows with median earnings of $61,686, with Azimuth ranking it #36 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions — a strong result for a program of its scale.
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services and Kinesiology round out the higher-earning cluster, each posting median earnings of $61,476 and $55,250 respectively four years after enrollment, per the [program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). The highest-aggregate-return program — Interdisciplinary Studies — combines meaningful cohort scale with solid earnings, making it the single largest contributor to the institution's overall earnings profile.
Several of the top-earning programs, including fields in health and applied business, are high-mobility direct-to-workforce pathways where four-year earnings reflect actual labor-market entry. Education-adjacent programs, by contrast, tend toward local-labor outcomes where graduates enter regional school districts and public agencies — fields with lower starting salaries but stable long-run demand.
The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these program families align with broader national labor-market trends.
