1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley TX · Large public institution · Overall rank #11 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/admissions/)[Majors](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley #11 nationally. ### Who it’s a good fit for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a public university in Edinburg, Texas, where the degree mix is led by Biological Sciences, Security & Protective Services, and Business. Mobility is among the highest we track. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them, and the model attributes more of that to a remainder it does not explain than to the factors it measures. Return is around the average, while the typical graduate earns below the median at comparable schools. Affordability is among the highest we track, and the net price for the lowest income band sits well below the published cost, while the highest band pays closer to it. Pell students complete within a few points of the rate for the entering cohort as a whole, and access is among the highest we track. The admission rate is above the median for comparable schools, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. A student drawn to the largest departments should know that the best-paid programs are in engineering and nursing, not the social sciences. ## UT Rio Grande Valley at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 94.2% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 50.9% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $53,888 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $5,665 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $12,950 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $8,107 ## UT Rio Grande Valley rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a public university in Edinburg, Texas, enrolling 28,666 undergraduates. Azimuth places it near the top of the ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (composite at the 99th percentile). UT Rio Grande Valley accepts 94.2% of those who apply, a rate higher than the 78.1% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. For the first-time, full-time cohort, 81.1% return after the first year, against a median of 83.1% for comparable institutions. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for that same cohort is 50.9%, compared with 65.0% at peer institutions. An estimated 34.2% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, and the six-year graduation rate does not capture their path. Mobility is the strongest pillar at UT Rio Grande Valley, and return is the weakest (at the 48th percentile). Access and affordability sit close to mobility, so three pillars cluster near the top of the ranking while return lands near the middle. The four are spread far apart, with mobility, access and affordability grouped in the upper tier and return sitting apart from them. No single pillar sits close to return, which makes the contrast between the three pillars near the top and the remaining one especially sharp. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley #11 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. The composite rank reflects strength in three of the four pillars. The mobility pillar leads at the 99th percentile, followed by affordability at the 99th percentile and access at the 97th percentile. The return pillar, at the 48th percentile, is the weakest of the four. 65.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, the federal aid marker for financial access at this public university in Edinburg, Texas. Among enrolled students who submitted SAT scores, the middle 50% fell between 880 and 1,090. For those who submitted ACT scores, the comparable range ran from 15 to 21. Azimuth ranks The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley #40 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 50.2%, a figure that sits 0.7 percentage points below the rate for the entering cohort as a whole (50.9%). Azimuth ranks UT Rio Grande Valley #11 for mobility. Graduates earn about $11,519 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that coincides with the university's standing on the mobility pillar and with its access results. [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/) UT Rio Grande Valley rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #11 | | [Texas](/rankings/best-colleges-in-texas/) | #3 | | [South](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-south/) | #3 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 99 **Access & reach** National percentile: 97 **[Affordability](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/cost/)** National percentile: 99 **[Return on investment](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/outcomes/)** National percentile: 48 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Music**#8** 2. Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions**#22** 3. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other**#27** This school’s three highest-ranked programs nationally. Each rank compares bachelor’s programs in the same field; field sizes differ. [Explore major rankings](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / UT Rio Grande Valley briefing ## [UT Rio Grande Valley cost & financial aid](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley posts a published cost of attendance of $16,830, an average across living arrangements. Tuition and fees for Texas residents run $9,987, while nonresidents pay $19,827. Room and board add another $9,728. At UT Rio Grande Valley, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) comes to $4,831. That is $10,803 below the $15,634 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). For the average aid recipient, grants and scholarships cut the published cost by $11,999. Azimuth ranks the university #18 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That places the affordability pillar in the 99th percentile. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley publishes a cost of attendance of $16,830, an average across living arrangements. In-state tuition is $9,987 and room and board is $9,728. For families earning under $30,000, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is $3,785. The average net price for families earning $48,001–$75,000 is $5,665, and for families earning over $110,000 it is $13,782. Azimuth ranks The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley #18 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Financial aid reduces the sticker price by an average of $11,999, bringing the average net price across all aid recipients to $4,831. The median net price at comparable institutions (same type and size) is $15,634, which places UT Rio Grande Valley below that peer figure by $10,803. Out-of-state students face a published tuition of $19,827. Median federal student debt at completion is $12,950, with 47.5% of federal aid recipients borrowing federal loans. The median federal debt at comparable institutions (same type and size) is $20,076, so borrowing at UT Rio Grande Valley runs below the peer median by $7,126. Median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing stands at $8,107. The median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $147 a month if repaid over ten years. 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**$5,665** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at UT Rio Grande Valley Borrowers who complete a degree at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley leave with a median of $12,950 in federal student loans. That is $7,126 below the $20,076 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). About 47.5% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Parents who borrow through the [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program carry a separate median of $8,107. Four years after completing a degree at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, graduates earn a median of $53,888. That figure is below the $65,610 median for comparable institutions (same type and size), and it lands in the 29th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. At the same time, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley graduates earn about $11,519 more than the model expects for similar students. That result places the university in the 86th percentile nationally. Scenarios modeled from the program mix point to a typical earnings outcome of $53,888, with a downside scenario of $40,856 and an upside scenario of $73,541. On the borrowing side, the median federal student debt at completion is $12,950, which is below the $20,076 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, the estimated monthly payment comes to $147. For a separate parent-borrower population, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $8,107. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $147. [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** $12,950 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $8,107 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $147/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $103/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=the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/cost/) 02 / UT Rio Grande Valley briefing ## [UT Rio Grande Valley career outcomes & earnings](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley reports median earnings of $53,888 four years after completion. That institution-wide figure is a starting point; results for particular fields can differ. Read earnings alongside retention and completion. Earnings among completers do not include every student who entered the institution, while the lower and higher planning estimates describe modeled mixes of program outcomes rather than observed salary percentiles. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$4,787 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$6,732 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$11,519 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/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/outcomes/) 03 / UT Rio Grande Valley briefing ## [UT Rio Grande Valley acceptance rate & admissions](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley admits 94.2% of applicants, placing it in the broad-access category. For context, the median admission rate among comparable public universities of its size is 78.1%. UT Rio Grande Valley serves a wider range of applicants than most of its peers, and the admission process is designed to be inclusive rather than highly selective. The university's mission centers on providing opportunity across the Rio Grande Valley, and a complete application that meets the basic requirements is likely to yield an offer of admission. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 94.2% **Approximate lower endpoint** 880 **Reported average** 985 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1090 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/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/admissions/) 04 / UT Rio Grande Valley briefing ## [What are the largest majors at UT Rio Grande Valley?](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The largest program records at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, by reported degrees awarded, are: Biology, General (587 awards); Criminal Justice and Corrections (581 awards); Psychology, General (486 awards); Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness (310 awards); Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (240 awards). These counts describe degree output in the source reporting period, not current enrollment or unique people. Among those larger programs, reported median earnings four years after completion include Biology, General at $47,954; Criminal Justice and Corrections at $49,979; Psychology, General at $40,140. Program size and earnings answer different questions; the largest program need not have the highest earnings. Keep individual program records separate from broader degree categories and from records for other reporting periods. Those views can describe different parts of the university’s academic mix. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Biology, General 587 degrees awarded** $47,954 **Criminal Justice and Corrections 581 degrees awarded** $49,979 **Psychology, General 486 degrees awarded** $40,140 **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 310 degrees awarded** $53,769 **Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 240 degrees awarded** $56,493 **Social Work 184 degrees awarded** $50,073 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/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/majors/) 05 / UT Rio Grande Valley briefing ## How does UT Rio Grande Valley serve students from different backgrounds? The mobility pillar at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley ranks in the 99th percentile nationally. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 50.9%, while Pell recipients complete at a rate of 50.2% — a figure that sits below the overall rate by 0.7 percentage points. Graduates earn about $11,519 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits in the 86th percentile. Azimuth places the access pillar of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in the 97th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The public university admits 94.2% of applicants and enrolls 28,666 undergraduates. Pell Grant recipients make up 65.1% of the undergraduate body, and an estimated 34.2% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students. 06 / UT Rio Grande Valley briefing ## [What colleges are similar to UT Rio Grande Valley?](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/similar/)[\[15\]](#hub-data-note-peers) The comparisons for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley cover similar admissions profiles, higher reported earnings at similar cost, lower reported cost with similar earnings and options in the same state or region. The similar-schools brief keeps these questions in separate groups, with related institutional profiles shown as another comparison. Each group has its own candidate list and ordering. A high position within one group is not a rank against all the schools in the other groups, and a school can appear more than once for different reasons. Check the source definition and earnings period for the comparison you choose. ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with UT Rio Grande Valley. Admissions peerTexas A&M University-Kingsville90.9% admitted+ Comparison with UT Rio Grande Valley | Measure | UT Rio Grande Valley | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $53,888 | $56,982+$3,094 vs UT Rio Grande Valley | | Average annual net price | $4,831 | $12,090+$7,259 vs UT Rio Grande Valley · higher cost | | Admission rate | 94.2% | 90.9% | [Explore Texas A&M University-Kingsville →](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/) Nearby alternativeTexas A&M University-KingsvilleNearby option · TX+ Comparison with UT Rio Grande Valley | Measure | UT Rio Grande Valley | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $53,888 | $56,982+$3,094 vs UT Rio Grande Valley | | Average annual net price | $4,831 | $12,090+$7,259 vs UT Rio Grande Valley · higher cost | | Admission rate | 94.2% | 90.9% | [Explore Texas A&M University-Kingsville →](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/) Higher-earnings alternativeCollege of Staten Island CUNY$65,495 earnings+ Comparison with UT Rio Grande Valley | Measure | UT Rio Grande Valley | College of Staten Island CUNY | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $53,888 | $65,495+$11,607 vs UT Rio Grande Valley | | Average annual net price | $4,831 | $5,579+$748 vs UT Rio Grande Valley · higher cost | | Admission rate | 94.2% | 92.3% | [Explore College of Staten Island CUNY →](/school/college-of-staten-island-cuny/) Lower-cost alternativeSan Diego Christian College$992 average net price+ Comparison with UT Rio Grande Valley | Measure | UT Rio Grande Valley | San Diego Christian College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $53,888 | $50,741\-$3,147 vs UT Rio Grande Valley | | Average annual net price | $4,831 | $992\-$3,839 vs UT Rio Grande Valley · lower cost | | Admission rate | 94.2% | 30.8% | Similar profileThe University of Texas at San AntonioMatched across several measures+ Comparison with UT Rio Grande Valley | Measure | UT Rio Grande Valley | The University of Texas at San Antonio | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $53,888 | $60,333+$6,445 vs UT Rio Grande Valley | | Average annual net price | $4,831 | $10,836+$6,005 vs UT Rio Grande Valley · higher cost | | Admission rate | 94.2% | 86.8% | [Explore The University of Texas at San Antonio →](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-san-antonio/) 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/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/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/)