College Azimuth

Research brief & institution hub

University of Houston

TXLarge public institution · Overall rank #13 nationally

Data snapshot Updated

Azimuth ranks University of Houston #13 nationally.

Who it’s a good fit for

University of Houston is a public university in Houston where the degree mix is led by Business. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than on to further study.

Mobility is among the highest we track. Graduates out-earn what predicts for students like them.

The part the model attributes to the factors it measures—field of study, enrollment and the local labor market—adds to expected earnings, while the remainder it cannot explain subtracts from them. Students who arrive with Pell Grants finish within a few points of the rate for the entering cohort as a whole.

The lowest income band pays well below the published cost, while the highest pays closer to it. The admission rate is below the median for comparable schools.

A student drawn to Business or Psychology should know that the largest departments are not the best-paid ones.

UH at a glance

Admissions and outcomes

Admission rate[1]
73.9%
Six-year completion[2]
64.6%
Four-year earnings[3]
$68,091

Cost and family borrowing

Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[6]
$12,528
Median student debt[4]
$18,194
Median Parent PLUS debt[7]
$18,072

UH rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[5]

University of Houston is a public university in Houston, Texas, enrolling 38,380 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits near the very top of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (99th percentile).

University of Houston admits 73.9% of applicants, against a median of 78.1% for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Of students who start full time, 87.0% return for a second year, above the peer median of 83.1%.

The six-year graduation rate is 64.6%, which sits just below the peer median of 65.0%. An estimated 46.5% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students.

The four are not evenly matched. Mobility is the strongest (99th percentile) and access sits close behind (94th percentile).

Return is the weakest of the four (79th percentile), with affordability in between (84th percentile). It is a public university whose strongest outcomes are in who it serves and how far they go, while the earnings picture is more mixed.

Azimuth ranks University of Houston #13 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. The university's strongest pillar is mobility, in the 99th percentile.

The access pillar sits at the 94th percentile, affordability at the 84th percentile, and return at the 79th percentile, the weakest of the four.

41.6% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Those students complete at 61.7%, 2.9 percentage points below the rate for the entering cohort as a whole.

Azimuth ranks University of Houston #87 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks the university #6 for mobility. Graduates earn about $11,050 more than the model expects for similar students.

How value-added outcomes are assessed · How to interpret program rankings

UH rankings in context
GeographyRank
National#13
Texas#4
South#4

Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group.

National pillar percentiles

Economic mobility
National percentile: 99
Access & reach
National percentile: 94
Affordability
National percentile: 84
Return on investment
National percentile: 79

Top-ranked majors

  1. Computer Systems Analysis#2
  2. Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services#4
  3. Biotechnology#5

This school’s three highest-ranked programs nationally. Each rank compares bachelor’s programs in the same field; field sizes differ.

Explore major rankings

01 / UH briefing

UH cost & financial aid[6][7]

The University of Houston lists a published cost of attendance of $26,185. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported in-state tuition of $10,856 and required fees of $1,032 for the the 2026-27 academic year.

On-campus food and housing ran $11,286. After grants and scholarships, the average net price for aid recipients is $14,276, which is $1,358 below the $15,634 median for comparable institutions (same type and size).

Financial aid covers about 45% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. Azimuth ranks the university #224 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The University of Houston publishes a cost of attendance of $26,185. For families earning under $30,000, the average net price is $10,929; for those in the $48,001–$75,000 band, it is $12,528; and for families earning over $110,000, it is $23,811.

The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $12,882. Azimuth ranks the university #224 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Aid covers about 45% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, an average offset of $11,909. The for first-time full-time Title IV aid recipients is $14,276, which is below the median of $15,634 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $1,358.

The median federal student debt at completion is $18,194, with about 73.0% of federal aid recipients borrowing. That median is below the peer median of $20,076 for comparable institutions by $1,882.

Median Parent PLUS borrowing stands at $18,072. If repaid over ten years, the estimated monthly payment for a graduate with the median federal debt is $207.

Your family income

Choose a household income range to see estimated net price.

Reported average annual net price · $48–75K$12,528

After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ.

Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary.

Borrowing and repayment at UH

Roughly 73.0% of federal aid recipients at University of Houston take federal loans. Among borrowers who complete a degree, the median federal debt is $18,194.

Against the $20,076 median for comparable institutions (same type and size), the university's figure stands below by $1,882. Parents who take out Parent PLUS loans hold a median debt of $18,072.

In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 42% of graduates borrowed from any source, averaging $22,495 per borrower. Federal loans covered 41% of graduates, with an average of $17,467. Private loans covered 7% of graduates, with an average of $30,980.

Median earnings four years after completion are $68,091 for University of Houston graduates who are working and not enrolled, a level in the 73rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Relative to modeled expectations, graduates earn about $11,050 more than the model expects for similar students, an outcome in the 85th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Anchored on the university's program mix, earnings scenarios run from a downside of $51,151 through a typical level of $68,091 to an upside of $93,251. For borrowers who complete a degree, the median federal debt is $18,194, which stands below the $20,076 median for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $1,882. If repaid over ten years, the estimated monthly payment is $207.

Median Parent PLUS borrowing, a separate parent-borrower population, is $18,072. The estimated monthly student payment if repaid over ten years is $207.

How Financial GPS measures payment burden · The four risk-and-reward zones

Financial GPS

What does repayment look like?

Institution median student debt
$18,194
Institution Parent PLUS debt
$18,072

Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included.

Estimated student payment · monthly
$207/mo
Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly
$230/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
Read the full cost & aid brief

02 / UH briefing

UH career outcomes & earnings[3][8][9]

University of Houston reports median earnings of $68,091 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.
+$12,678
Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.
-$1,628
Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.
+$11,050

These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality.

Read the full outcomes brief

03 / UH briefing

UH acceptance rate & admissions[1][10][11]

The University of Houston admits 73.9% of applicants, a rate that sits below the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). The university serves a large undergraduate population of 38,380 students, and its admission rate reflects broad access alongside a substantial transfer pipeline.

SAT: reported composite scores
Admission rate
73.9%
25th percentile
1140
Median
1220
75th percentile
1310

CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff.

Read the full admissions brief

04 / UH briefing

What are the largest majors at UH?[12]

The largest program records at University of Houston, by reported degrees awarded, are: Psychology, General (605 awards); Business Administration, Management and Operations (543 awards); Finance and Financial Management Services (412 awards); Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness (404 awards); Biology, General (388 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 Psychology, General at $52,892; Business Administration, Management and Operations at $73,125; Finance and Financial Management Services at $78,009. 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
Psychology, General 605 degrees awarded
$52,892
Business Administration, Management and Operations 543 degrees awarded
$73,125
Finance and Financial Management Services 412 degrees awarded
$78,009
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 404 degrees awarded
$53,483
Biology, General 388 degrees awarded
$57,716
Computer and Information Sciences, General 318 degrees awarded
$98,790

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

05 / UH briefing

How does UH serve students from different backgrounds?

Azimuth ranks University of Houston #6 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. That places the mobility pillar in the 99th percentile.

The six-year graduation rate for the first-time full-time cohort is 64.6%, while Pell recipients complete at 61.7%, a figure that sits below the overall rate by 2.9 percentage points. Graduates earn about $11,050 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that lands in the 85th percentile.

Azimuth places the access pillar of the University of Houston in the 94th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The public university admits 73.9% of applicants, a figure close to the peer median of 78.1%.

Pell Grant recipients make up 41.6% of the 38,380 undergraduates, and an estimated 46.5% of the undergraduate body arrives as transfers or part-time students.

06 / UH briefing

What colleges are similar to UH?[15]

The comparisons for University of Houston cover higher reported admission rates, 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 UH.

Admissions peerUniversity of Oklahoma-Norman Campus76.6% admitted
Comparison with UH
MeasureUHUniversity of Oklahoma-Norman Campus
Peer earnings · 4 years$68,091$73,280+$5,189 vs UH
Average annual net price$14,276$15,300+$1,024 vs UH · higher cost
Admission rate73.9%76.6%
Explore University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus →
Higher-admission alternativeLamar University86.4% admitted
Comparison with UH
MeasureUHLamar University
Peer earnings · 4 years$68,091$66,816-$1,275 vs UH
Average annual net price$14,276$9,366-$4,910 vs UH · lower cost
Admission rate73.9%86.4%
Explore Lamar University →
Nearby alternativeLamar UniversityNearby option · TX
Comparison with UH
MeasureUHLamar University
Peer earnings · 4 years$68,091$66,816-$1,275 vs UH
Average annual net price$14,276$9,366-$4,910 vs UH · lower cost
Admission rate73.9%86.4%
Explore Lamar University →
Higher-earnings alternativeBrigham Young University$77,018 earnings
Comparison with UH
MeasureUHBrigham Young University
Peer earnings · 4 years$68,091$77,018+$8,927 vs UH
Average annual net price$14,276$15,564+$1,288 vs UH · higher cost
Admission rate73.9%67.8%
Explore Brigham Young University →
Lower-cost alternativeLamar University$9,366 average net price
Comparison with UH
MeasureUHLamar University
Peer earnings · 4 years$68,091$66,816-$1,275 vs UH
Average annual net price$14,276$9,366-$4,910 vs UH · lower cost
Admission rate73.9%86.4%
Explore Lamar University →
Similar profileUniversity of ArizonaMatched across several measures
Comparison with UH
MeasureUHUniversity of Arizona
Peer earnings · 4 years$68,091$67,420-$671 vs UH
Average annual net price$14,276$16,674+$2,398 vs UH · higher cost
Admission rate73.9%86.1%
Explore University of Arizona →

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

Data scope & methodology

Structured payloads generated Governed hub narrative Governed spoke corpus

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, founder of College Azimuth.

Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations · About College Azimuth

Read the analysis behind value-added earnings and the change to four-year graduate earnings. 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; 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

  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

  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

  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

  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

  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

How to interpret program rankings