Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Texas Southern University #228 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Texas Southern University sits in the 90.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting graduates who earn about $12,917 more than similar students at comparable institutions. Azimuth ranks Texas Southern University #184 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- Texas Southern University's composite ranking reflects a combination of earnings beyond expectations and mobility outcomes that outpace many institutions serving similar student populations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median $55,112 four years after enrollment, placing Texas Southern University in the 24.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Texas Southern University #228 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Houston, TX, Texas Southern University enrolls roughly 6,844 undergraduates. Retention stands at 66.2% and the six-year graduation rate is 22.2%, figures that reflect the realities facing a broad-access institution serving a student body with significant financial need. What anchors Texas Southern University's composite position is mobility. Azimuth ranks Texas Southern University in the 87.6 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions, driven by the outcomes the university produces for low-income and first-generation students. 72.3% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 38.8% are first-generation college students — one of the broadest access profiles among research universities nationally. The university's dominant program concentration in Business channels graduates into career pathways where early earnings can compound over time. Access sits in the 95.2 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions, reinforcing the institution's role as a gateway for students historically underrepresented in higher education. Return on investment is the lower-ranked pillar in the composite. Azimuth ranks Texas Southern University #731 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median earnings four years after enrollment of $55,112, and graduates earn about $12,917 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Texas Southern University in the 90.0 percentile for among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability sits in the 49.3 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, shaped by net-price dynamics explored in the affordability section. The earnings figures reflect TX's regional labor market and a student population whose post-graduation outcomes represent meaningful returns relative to the no-degree-equivalent baseline of $31,626, even where they fall below selective-peer averages.
Texas Southern University's published cost of attendance is $27,052, but the institution's financial aid structure reshapes that figure substantially across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $16,437; middle-income families pay around $21,280; higher-income families pay approximately $21,610. Azimuth ranks Texas Southern University #723 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. Texas Southern University's aid structure is need-based, with institutional aid covering a meaningful share of cost for qualifying families. The institution participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and institutional aid programs. Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA and CSS Profile. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $29,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $19,929; 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 $55,112, median federal debt of $29,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $328 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Texas Southern University is a public university in Houston, TX, with a program portfolio concentrated in Business and related applied fields — a strong fit for students who want an urban, professionally oriented degree in a major metro labor market. Graduates earn median $55,112 four years after enrollment, placing Texas Southern University in the 24.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and earn about $12,917 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Texas Southern University in the 90.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Texas Southern University enrolls a large share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 72.3% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 38.8% are first-generation — and the institution's broad-access structure means that students from low-income backgrounds who complete their degree can reach earnings outcomes that place Texas Southern University in the 8.8 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions, a historical 10-year Scorecard measure. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program mix favors Business, public administration, and applied professional fields over research-oriented or STEM-intensive tracks, and students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes. Families weighing cost should note that median student debt at graduation is $29,000, and higher-income families pay a net price of approximately $21,610 — context worth reviewing against expected earnings 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 Texas Southern 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University Of Louisville Similar quality tier (#5467 ranked) | KY | 79% | $53,899 | #5467 | Compare |
Cleveland State University Similar quality tier (#5468 ranked) | OH | 91% | $52,131 | #5468 | Compare |
Purdue University Northwest Similar quality tier (#5462 ranked) | IN | 72% | $48,318 | #5462 | Compare |
University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Similar quality tier (#5471 ranked) | WI | 91% | $54,990 | #5471 | Compare |
Sonoma State University Similar quality tier (#5983 ranked) | CA | 93% | $65,986 | #5983 | Compare |
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Texas Southern University's published cost of attendance is $27,052, but the institution's financial aid structure reshapes that figure substantially across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $16,437; middle-income families pay around $21,280; higher-income families pay approximately $21,610.
Azimuth ranks Texas Southern University #723 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.
Texas Southern University's aid structure is need-based, with institutional aid covering a meaningful share of cost for qualifying families. The institution participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and institutional aid programs.
Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA and CSS Profile. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $29,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $19,929; 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 $55,112, median federal debt of $29,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $328 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 Texas Southern University earn median earnings of $49,000 four years after enrollment, placing Texas Southern University in the 36th percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $55,000 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).
Graduates earn below expectations, placing the institution in the 38th percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures still represent lifetime returns relative to Texas's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $31,000, the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential.
Business is the dominant program family at Texas Southern University, with Business accounting for 26% of degrees, followed by Public Administration at 16% and Law at 14%. Among the largest programs, Business Administration program graduates 100 students annually with median earnings of $50,000 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program 1,200 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The Public Administration program graduates 80 students with median earnings of $48,000, and the The Law program graduates 60 students earning $55,000. On the higher-earning end, Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration graduates earn median earnings of $120,000 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program 50 among nonprofit four-year institutions, while Nursing graduates earn $70,000.
Program-level outcomes vary meaningfully by field, making major selection a key factor in the financial return graduates experience from Texas Southern University.
Civil Engineering
16 graduates
Finance and Financial Management Services
33 graduates
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
19 graduates
Accounting and Related Services
29 graduates
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
33 graduates
Texas Southern University's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 19% of graduates — the largest concentration by field. Engineering represents 4% of degree output and Social Sciences accounts for 4%, giving the university a professional-and-applied orientation.
Across 36 programs serving roughly 918 students annually, 17 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold — a focused portfolio where a handful of fields drive the institution's earnings profile. The strongest early-career earnings come from Kinesiology, where 33 graduates earn median earnings of $56,482 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #139 among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Biology, General follows with median earnings of $55,321 and ranks #182 among nonprofit four-year institutions. The Business Administration program graduates 77 students with median earnings of $53,203, ranking #321 among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Among the largest programs by enrollment, Biology, General program graduates 78 students and The Business Administration program graduates 77 students. The highest aggregate return at Texas Southern University comes from Biology, General, which combines cohort scale with solid pay — a combination that shapes the institution's overall earnings picture.
Several of the largest programs — General Studies (75 graduates, median earnings of $44,953) and Criminal Justice (62 graduates, median earnings of $45,961) — feed into fields where graduates typically enter the workforce directly in Houston's diversified labor market. The [supply-demand map](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides additional context for how these program families align with regional and national hiring trends.
