Texas A&M University vs. The University of Texas at Austin
The Corps of Cadets still drills in maroon at Texas A&M, and that tells you most of what separates these two flagships. A&M runs on engineering and agriculture out in College Station, a land-grant giant where the Aggie identity, the Corps, and the traditions pull you into something bigger than yourself. UT Austin drops you a few blocks from the Texas State Capitol, with the Tower lit burnt orange and downtown music a short walk away. Pick your strengths: A&M points you hardest at engineering, while UT spreads its best programs across the natural sciences, engineering, business at McCombs, and communication. Both schools fill most of their seats through Texas class-rank law, so out of state you face long odds at either. They split on testing too. A&M stays test-optional; UT brought back a required SAT or ACT. For deep engineering inside the Aggie fold, point yourself at College Station.
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Acceptance Rate
Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.
Admit rate by residency
% admittedEarly Action
Texas A&M offers non-binding Early Action — an earlier decision with no commitment to enroll.
Standardized Tests
Texas A&M is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Class Rank
Where Texas A&M's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 72.15% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Texas A&M does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions Factors
How Texas A&M weighs each part of your application.
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 A&M's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.
Out-of-state students pay $27,991 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.
Major Distribution
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student Diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus Life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by Gender
Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.
Acceptance Rate
Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.
Admit rate by residency
% admittedEarly Admissions
UT Austin does not offer an Early Decision or Early Action plan; all applicants apply through Regular Decision.
Standardized Tests
UT Austin requires the SAT or ACT, starting with Fall 2025 applicants.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
Score ranges not published yet
UT Austin reinstated its SAT/ACT requirement starting with Fall 2025 applicants. Its most recent admitted class applied test-free, so published SAT and ACT score ranges aren't available yet.
Class Rank
UT Austin does not report this.
Not reported
Admissions Factors
How UT Austin weighs each part of your application.
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 UT Austin's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.
Out-of-state students pay $33,220 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.
Major Distribution
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student Diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus Life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by Gender
Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.
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Texas A&M vs. UT Austin: frequently asked questions
Is it harder to get into UT Austin or Texas A&M?＋
UT Austin is the tougher admit by a wide margin, taking about 26.6% of applicants against roughly 51.7% at Texas A&M, so A&M lets in nearly twice the share. Out-of-state applicants face longer odds than those numbers suggest at both schools, because Texas's automatic-admission laws hand most of each class to in-state students. Only about 9% of UT first-years and 5% of A&M first-years arrive from outside Texas.
Do UT Austin and Texas A&M require the SAT or ACT?＋
They split on this one. Texas A&M went test-optional, so scores help your case without being required, and among A&M students who do submit, the middle 50% land at 1160–1390 on the SAT and 24–32 on the ACT. UT Austin brought back a testing requirement for Fall 2025 applicants, which makes the SAT or ACT mandatory there, though UT publishes no admitted-student score range in its Common Data Set.
Is UT Austin or Texas A&M better for computer science and engineering?＋
Both campuses run deep in STEM, but they slice it differently. Texas A&M leans hardest into engineering, its single largest area at about 23% of degrees, sitting atop a substantial agriculture and applied-sciences base. UT Austin spreads its strength wider, with natural sciences at about 18% of degrees and engineering and computing at about 17%, while biological and life sciences top the list as its most popular field at about 13%. A&M suits an engineering-first culture, whereas UT pairs a top CS and natural-sciences environment with a tech city.
Is UT Austin or Texas A&M cheaper for out-of-state students?＋
Texas A&M carries the lower out-of-state sticker at about $40,847 in tuition and fees, under UT Austin's $44,908, yet UT covers more demonstrated need, meeting about 80% on average versus 71% at A&M. Roughly 40% of first-years at each school draw need-based aid, with average packages near $20,717 at A&M and $20,219 at UT, so the gap shrinks after aid for higher-need families. In-state tuition runs close, about $12,856 at A&M and $11,688 at UT.
Which is bigger, Texas A&M or UT Austin?＋
Texas A&M wins on size, enrolling about 62,031 undergraduates against UT Austin's 43,165, which ranks it among the largest universities in the country. Class scale lands in the same neighborhood, a 20:1 student-faculty ratio at A&M and 18:1 at UT. Retention and graduation stay high across both: A&M holds 95% of first-years and graduates 85% within six years, while UT reaches 96.7% and 88.9%.
Source: Texas A&M University Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-07. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Texas A&M. Banner photo by Donnie Ray Jones, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).
Source: The University of Texas at Austin Common Data Set 2024-2025. Figures transcribed 2026-06-07. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with UT Austin. Banner photo by Daderot, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0).