Baylor University vs. Texas Tech University

A side-by-side comparison of Baylor and Texas Tech — acceptance rates (52.2% vs. 72.7%), SAT scores (1190–1370 vs. 1110–1270), tuition, financial aid, and majors, drawn from each school's official Common Data Set.

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BaylorWaco, TX

Acceptance Rate

Total applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students for the most recent admission cycle.

52.2%acceptance rate
Applied
44,924
Admitted
23,459
Enrolled
3,552

Early Decision

Baylor offers binding Early Decision. Applying early can meaningfully change your odds — but ED commits you to enroll if admitted.

Early Decision
Binding
Early Action
Non-binding
Restrictive EA
Not offered

Admit rate by application plan

% admitted
Early Decision80.0%
Regular Decision51.9%

~1.5× higher admit rate applying early.

ED Applications
566
ED Admitted
453

Standardized Tests

Baylor is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.

SAT Accepted?

ACT Accepted?

Test Optional?

SAT Scores

4001600
25th Percentile
1190
50th Percentile
1280
75th Percentile
1370

ACT Scores

136
25th Percentile
26
50th Percentile
29
75th Percentile
32

Class Rank

Where Baylor's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.

Top tenth of class42%
Top quarter of class76%
Top half of class95%

Based on the 49% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Baylor does not publish an average GPA.

Admissions Factors

How Baylor weighs each part of your application.

→ Importance

Rigor of High School Record

Academic GPA

Standardized Test Scores

Application Essay

Recommendations

Extracurricular Activities

Character / Personal Qualities

Talent / Ability

First Generation

Level of Applicant's Interest

Class Rank

Volunteer Work

Work Experience

Geographical Residence

State Residency

Alumni Relation

Racial / Ethnic Status

Religious Affiliation

Cost of Attendance

Estimated full-time annual cost from Baylor's Common Data Set.

$90,564
Tuition & Fees
$67,756
Room & Board
$17,222
Other Expenses
$5,586
Total
$90,564

Private universities charge the same tuition regardless of state residency.

Financial Aid

Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.

Receiving Aid
56%
Avg. Package
$44,891
Avg. Need Met
71%

Major Distribution

Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.

Business & Marketing
Health Professions
Biological & Life Sciences
Communication & Journalism
Social Sciences
Psychology
Other
Business
23.8%
Health Prof
20.2%
Bio Sci
10.7%
Comm
8.2%
Social Sci
6.8%
Psychology
3.9%
Other
26.4%

Student Diversity

Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.

Asian and Pacific Islander8.7%
Black6.1%
Hispanic19%
Native American<1%
Other8.9%
White56.9%

Student-Faculty Ratio

The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.

14:1

Campus Life

On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.

First-Years On Campus
98%
In Fraternities
N/A
In Sororities
N/A

Enrollment by Gender

Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.

40%
60%
Male
5,713
Female
8,470
Texas TechLubbock, TX

Acceptance Rate

Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.

Texas Tech CDS72.6%acceptance rate
Applied
34,356
Admitted
24,958
Enrolled
6,771

Admit rate by residency

% admitted
In-state74.8%
22,194 admitted of 29,662 applicants
Out-of-state68.3%
2,317 admitted of 3,395 applicants
International33.6%
431 admitted of 1,281 applicants

Early Admissions

Texas Tech does not offer an Early Decision or Early Action plan; all applicants apply through Regular Decision.

Early Decision
Not offered
Early Action
Not offered
Restrictive EA
Not offered

Standardized Tests

Texas Tech is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.

SAT Accepted?

ACT Accepted?

Test Optional?

SAT Scores

4001600
25th Percentile
1110
50th Percentile
1190
75th Percentile
1270

ACT Scores

136
25th Percentile
23
50th Percentile
25
75th Percentile
28

Class Rank

Where Texas Tech's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.

Top tenth of class23.5%
Top quarter of class51.1%
Top half of class83.3%

Based on the 99.96% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Texas Tech does not publish an average GPA.

Admissions Factors

How Texas Tech weighs each part of your application.

→ Importance

Rigor of High School Record

Academic GPA

Standardized Test Scores

Application Essay

Recommendations

Extracurricular Activities

Character / Personal Qualities

Talent / Ability

First Generation

Level of Applicant's Interest

Class Rank

Volunteer Work

Work Experience

Geographical Residence

State Residency

Alumni Relation

Racial / Ethnic Status

Religious Affiliation

Cost of Attendance

Estimated full-time annual cost from Texas Tech's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.

$28,525
In-State
$40,825
Out-of-State
In-StateOut-of-State
Tuition & Fees
$11,852$24,152
Room & Board
$10,742$10,742
Other Expenses
$5,931$5,931
Total
$28,525$40,825

Out-of-state students pay $12,300 more — entirely in tuition. Room, board, and other costs are identical regardless of residency.

Financial Aid

Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.

Receiving Aid
48%
Avg. Package
$14,521
Avg. Need Met
61%

Major Distribution

Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.

Business & Marketing
Engineering
Biological & Life Sciences
Communication & Journalism
Family & Consumer Sciences
Psychology
Education
Social Sciences
Computer Sciences
Other
Business
21%
Engineering
10%
Life Sci
9%
Comm
9%
Human Sci
8%
Psychology
5%
Education
4%
Social Sci
4%
Computing
4%
Other
26%

Student Diversity

Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.

Asian and Pacific Islander3.5%
Black6.1%
Hispanic30.3%
Native American<1%
Other7.9%
White51.8%

Student-Faculty Ratio

The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.

20:1

Campus Life

On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.

First-Years On Campus
89%
In Fraternities
12%
In Sororities
20%

Enrollment by Gender

Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.

50%
50%
Male
16,266
Female
16,314

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Baylor vs. Texas Tech: frequently asked questions

Is Baylor or Texas Tech harder to get into?

Baylor is more selective: it admits about 52.2% of applicants, compared with 72.7% at Texas Tech. Both are competitive, and your odds depend on far more than the overall rate.

Which has higher SAT scores, Baylor or Texas Tech?

The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1190–1370 at Baylor and 1110–1270 at Texas Tech on the SAT. Treat the ranges as a benchmark — a score inside or above a school's range keeps you competitive there.

Is Baylor or Texas Tech cheaper for out-of-state students?

Texas Tech has the lower published price for out-of-state students — $24,152 in tuition and fees versus $67,756 at Baylor, a gap of about $43,604 a year before financial aid.

Does Baylor or Texas Tech have a higher graduation rate?

Baylor graduates a higher share of its students within six years — 82% versus 69% at Texas Tech.

Source: Baylor University Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-10. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Baylor. Banner photo by W>Aboxorocks, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Source: Texas Tech University Common Data Set 2024-2025. Figures transcribed 2026-06-10. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Texas Tech. Banner photo by Bubbahotepblues, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Baylor vs. Texas Tech: Acceptance Rate, SAT & Cost Compared | Esslo