Texas Tech University vs. The University of Texas at Austin
A side-by-side comparison of Texas Tech and UT Austin — acceptance rates (72.7% vs. 26.6%), tuition, financial aid, and majors, drawn from each school's official Common Data Set.
Want to compare other schools? Open the interactive comparison tool →
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
Texas Tech does not offer an Early Decision or Early Action plan; all applicants apply through Regular Decision.
Standardized Tests
Texas Tech is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Class Rank
Where Texas Tech's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Writing your Texas Tech or UT Austin application essay?
Esslo gives you line-by-line feedback on your Common App and supplemental essays — so your application stands out at Texas Tech, UT Austin, and beyond.
Texas Tech vs. UT Austin: frequently asked questions
Is Texas Tech or UT Austin harder to get into?＋
UT Austin is more selective: it admits about 26.6% of applicants, compared with 72.7% at Texas Tech. Both are competitive, and your odds depend on far more than the overall rate.
Is Texas Tech or UT Austin 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 $44,908 at UT Austin, a gap of about $20,756 a year before financial aid.
Does Texas Tech or UT Austin have a higher graduation rate?＋
UT Austin graduates a higher share of its students within six years — 88.9% versus 69% at Texas Tech.
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).
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).