Texas Tech University vs. The University of Texas at Austin

A side-by-side comparison of Texas Tech and UT Austin — acceptance rates (69.1% vs. 22.2%), tuition, financial aid, and majors, drawn from each school's official Common Data Set.

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Texas TechLubbock, TX

Acceptance rate

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

Texas Tech CDSIn-state vs. out-of-state admit rates from Texas Tech CDS (Fall 2024).
69.1%acceptance rate
Applied
38,566
Admitted
26,634
Enrolled
7,579

Admit rate by residency

% admitted
In-state74.8%
22,194 admitted of 29,662 applicants
Out-of-state68.2%
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
1180
75th Percentile
1260

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 class25%
Top quarter of class54.3%
Top half of class84.5%

Based on the 99.9% 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.

2024–25 CDSTexas Tech's 2025-2026 Common Data Set hasn't published this section yet, so this figure is shown from the 2024-2025 edition instead.
$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

What families actually pay

$0–30k~$12k
$30–48k~$14k
$48–75k~$17k
$75–110k~$22k
$110k+~$25k

Average net price — what was left to pay after grant aid — for students receiving federal financial aid, covering in-state students only.

% of undergrads with Pell grants27.8%

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Financial aid

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

2024–25 CDSTexas Tech's 2025-2026 Common Data Set hasn't published this section yet, so this figure is shown from the 2024-2025 edition instead.
Receiving Aid
48%
Avg. Package
$14,521
Avg. Need Met
61%

Popular majors

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
22%
Engineering
9%
Life Sci
9%
Comm
9%
Human Sci
7%
Psychology
5%
Education
4%
Social Sci
4%
Computing
4%
Other
27%

Student-faculty ratio

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

21:1

Student outcomes

First-years who return85%
Graduate within six years70%
Median earnings, 4 yrs after graduation~$66k
Median federal loan debt at graduation~$22k

Median yearly income of former students who received federal aid, across every major, measured four years after graduating (2017–18 and 2018–19 graduates, earnings measured 2022–2023). Debt covers federal loans of students who completed.

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Programs

Texas Tech’s most popular programs and median pay after graduation. Income data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

Show all 33 programs

Median pay data is measured from graduates who received federal student aid.

Source: College Scorecard (2026) · IPEDS (2023-24) · ABET

Campus life

On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.

First-Years On Campus
89%
In Fraternities
12%
In Sororities
16%

Place

How the federal government classifies the area around the campus, and what a normal year of weather looks like there.

Setting
Large city
Location
Lubbock, TX

Average temperature

Monthly high and low, °F
5527J
6031F
6838M
7646A
8457M
9266J
9369J
9268A
8560S
7648O
6436N
5528D
Snow a year
7 in
Precipitation a year
18 in
Days at 90°F or above
92
Days below 32°F
84

Thirty-year averages, measured at the nearest weather station rather than on campus — they describe the area, not the campus.

Source: IPEDS (HD2024) · NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, LUBBOCK, TX US station, 6.0 mi from campus

Enrollment by gender

50%
50%
Male
16,914
Female
17,107

Student diversity

Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.

White49.9%
Hispanic31.6%
Other8.3%
Black6.3%
Asian and Pacific Islander3.6%
Native American<1%
UT AustinAustin, TX

Acceptance rate

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

UT Austin CDSIn-state vs. out-of-state admit rates from UT Austin CDS (Fall 2025).
22.2%acceptance rate
Applied
90,690
Admitted
20,154
Enrolled
9,900

Admit rate by residency

% admitted
In-state35.9%
16,828 admitted of 46,879 applicants
Out-of-state7.5%
2,653 admitted of 35,268 applicants
International7.9%
673 admitted of 8,543 applicants

Early action

UT Austin offers non-binding Early Action — an earlier decision with no commitment to enroll.

Fall 2027 datesEarly Action is published on UT Austin's own Fall 2027 dates page. UT Austin's 2025-2026 Common Data Set, which is cited for its other figures, does not report it.
Early Decision
Not offered
Early Action
Non-binding
Restrictive EA
Not offered

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.

→ 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 UT Austin's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.

$33,306
In-State
$66,466
Out-of-State
In-StateOut-of-State
Tuition & Fees
$11,656$44,816
Room & Board
$15,420$15,420
Other Expenses
$6,230$6,230
Total
$33,306$66,466

What families actually pay

$0–30k~$13k
$30–48k~$14k
$48–75k~$17k
$75–110k~$24k
$110k+~$30k

Average net price — what was left to pay after grant aid — for students receiving federal financial aid, covering in-state students only.

% of undergrads with Pell grants25.9%

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Financial aid

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

Receiving Aid
40%
Avg. Package
$20,765
Avg. Need Met
71.3%

Popular majors

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

Natural Sciences
Engineering & Computing
Social Sciences
Liberal Arts & Humanities
Business
Communication
Health Professions
Other
Sciences
17.8%
Eng. & CS
17.3%
Social Sci.
14.8%
Liberal Arts
13.7%
Business
11.1%
Comm.
10.5%
Health
5.8%
Other
9%

Student-faculty ratio

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

22:1

Student outcomes

First-years who return97.1%
Graduate within six years89.2%
Median earnings, 4 yrs after graduation~$79k
Median federal loan debt at graduation~$21k

Median yearly income of former students who received federal aid, across every major, measured four years after graduating (2017–18 and 2018–19 graduates, earnings measured 2022–2023). Debt covers federal loans of students who completed.

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Programs

UT Austin’s most popular programs and median pay after graduation. Income data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

  • Biology

    744 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$66kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$20k median debt
  • Psychology

    537 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$57kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$19k median debt
  • Computer & Information Sciences

    525 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$155kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$21k median debt
  • Finance

    417 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$132kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$21k median debt
  • Economics

    383 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$89kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$20k median debt
Show all 35 programs

Median pay data is measured from graduates who received federal student aid.

Source: College Scorecard (2026) · IPEDS (2023-24) · ABET

Campus life

On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.

First-Years On Campus
61%
In Fraternities
13%
In Sororities
17%

Place

How the federal government classifies the area around the campus, and what a normal year of weather looks like there.

Setting
Large city
Location
Austin, TX

Average temperature

Monthly high and low, °F
6342J
6746F
7352M
8059A
8767M
9373J
9775J
9875A
9170S
8361O
7251N
6443D
Snow a year
0 in
Precipitation a year
36 in
Days at 90°F or above
123
Days below 32°F
12

Thirty-year averages, measured at the nearest weather station rather than on campus — they describe the area, not the campus.

Source: IPEDS (HD2024) · NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, AUSTIN-CAMP MABRY, TX US station, 2.9 mi from campus

Enrollment by gender

43%
57%
Male
18,819
Female
25,448

Student diversity

Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.

White29.4%
Hispanic28.6%
Asian and Pacific Islander26.3%
Other10.9%
Black4.6%
Native American<1%

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Texas Tech vs. UT Austin: frequently asked questions

UT Austin is more selective: it admits about 22.2% of applicants, compared with 69.1% at Texas Tech. Both are competitive, and your odds depend on far more than the overall rate.

Texas Tech has the lower published price for out-of-state students — $24,152 in tuition and fees versus $44,816 at UT Austin, a gap of about $20,664 a year before financial aid.

UT Austin graduates a higher share of its students within six years — 89.2% versus 70% at Texas Tech.

Texas Tech. Its Common Data Set rates the application essay important, against considered at UT Austin, so the same draft carries more weight at Texas Tech. Both still read essays as part of a full application review.

Source: Texas Tech University Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-25. In-State Tuition & Fees, Out-of-State Tuition & Fees, % of Full-Time First-Years Awarded Need-Based Grant Aid, Average Aid Package, Students With Need Who Received Aid, and Average % of Need Met, Students With Need Who Received Aid are from the 2024-2025 edition. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Texas Tech. Banner photo by Bubbahotepblues, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Source: The University of Texas at Austin Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-25. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with UT Austin. Banner photo by Daderot, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0).