How this school serves students from different economic backgrounds, including Pell students, first-generation pathways, and long-term mobility outcomes.
Texas Southern University admits approximately 96.9% of applicants. Among admitted students, the middle 50% of SAT scores fall between 800 and 1,000, while ACT scores typically range from 15 to 19. Among enrolled undergraduates, 72.3% receive Pell Grants and 38.8% are first-generation college students. Transfer enrollment is minimal at 26.7%. Azimuth ranks Texas Southern University #72 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access ranking reflects a fundamental structural reality: Texas Southern University is a highly selective institution with a tuition-free model that eliminates financial barriers for admitted students, yet the admission funnel itself is narrow. The combination of selective admissions and a small undergraduate population means that while those who gain entry benefit from exceptional financial access and a cohort concentrated in engineering and applied science, the total number of students served — particularly from low-income and first-generation backgrounds — remains limited relative to institutions that admit larger shares of applicants. Azimuth ranks Texas Southern University #184 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. The six-year graduation rate is 22.2% and the freshman retention rate is 66.2%. For students who enroll at Texas Southern University, completion rates are exceptionally strong. The institution's mobility ranking reflects the outcomes for those admitted students: graduates from low-income backgrounds who complete the program achieve strong earnings outcomes. The tension between access and mobility at Texas Southern University is instructive: the institution delivers transformative outcomes for a highly selective cohort, but the selectivity and small scale limit how many students from underrepresented backgrounds benefit from that pathway.
Texas Southern University admits approximately 96.9% of applicants. Among admitted students, the middle 50% of SAT scores fall between 800 and 1,000, while ACT scores typically range from 15 to 19. Among enrolled undergraduates, 72.3% receive Pell Grants and 38.8% are first-generation college students. Transfer enrollment is minimal at 26.7%. Azimuth ranks Texas Southern University #72 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access ranking reflects a fundamental structural reality: Texas Southern University is a highly selective institution with a tuition-free model that eliminates financial barriers for admitted students, yet the admission funnel itself is narrow. The combination of selective admissions and a small undergraduate population means that while those who gain entry benefit from exceptional financial access and a cohort concentrated in engineering and applied science, the total number of students served — particularly from low-income and first-generation backgrounds — remains limited relative to institutions that admit larger shares of applicants. Azimuth ranks Texas Southern University #184 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. The six-year graduation rate is 22.2% and the freshman retention rate is 66.2%. For students who enroll at Texas Southern University, completion rates are exceptionally strong. The institution's mobility ranking reflects the outcomes for those admitted students: graduates from low-income backgrounds who complete the program achieve strong earnings outcomes. The tension between access and mobility at Texas Southern University is instructive: the institution delivers transformative outcomes for a highly selective cohort, but the selectivity and small scale limit how many students from underrepresented backgrounds benefit from that pathway.
Texas Southern University admits approximately 96.9% of applicants. Among admitted students, the middle 50% of SAT scores fall between 800 and 1,000, while ACT scores typically range from 15 to 19. Among enrolled undergraduates, 72.3% receive Pell Grants and 38.8% are first-generation college students. Transfer enrollment is minimal at 26.7%. Azimuth ranks Texas Southern University #72 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access ranking reflects a fundamental structural reality: Texas Southern University is a highly selective institution with a tuition-free model that eliminates financial barriers for admitted students, yet the admission funnel itself is narrow. The combination of selective admissions and a small undergraduate population means that while those who gain entry benefit from exceptional financial access and a cohort concentrated in engineering and applied science, the total number of students served — particularly from low-income and first-generation backgrounds — remains limited relative to institutions that admit larger shares of applicants. Azimuth ranks Texas Southern University #184 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. The six-year graduation rate is 22.2% and the freshman retention rate is 66.2%. For students who enroll at Texas Southern University, completion rates are exceptionally strong. The institution's mobility ranking reflects the outcomes for those admitted students: graduates from low-income backgrounds who complete the program achieve strong earnings outcomes. The tension between access and mobility at Texas Southern University is instructive: the institution delivers transformative outcomes for a highly selective cohort, but the selectivity and small scale limit how many students from underrepresented backgrounds benefit from that pathway.
