TCU vs. UTSA

Should I go to Texas Christian University or The University of Texas at San Antonio? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if TCU or UTSA is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Texas Christian University vs. The University of Texas at San Antonio comparison
Texas Christian University The University of Texas at San Antonio College 3 College 4
Texas Christian University The University of Texas at San Antonio
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Overview

 TCU UTSA
Location Fort Worth, TX San Antonio, TX
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 12,785 34,864
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #107 #903
Religious Affiliation Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website tcu.edu utsa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 TCU UTSA
Tuition (In State) $57,130 $5,951
Tuition (Out of State) $57,130 $18,925
Room & Board $14,800 $11,843
Avg Net Price $39,005 $10,831
Avg Grant Aid $33,813 $10,530
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 74%

Admission

 TCU UTSA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,517 22,497
Admitted 8,740 19,900
Acceptance Rate 42.6% 88.5%
Enrolled % 28.5% 29.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31 19/26
SAT Range 1150/1375 1000/1200
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026 Jun 1, 2026

Academics

 TCU UTSA
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 25:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Communication (18%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (25%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 TCU UTSA
Graduation Rate 74% 27%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,600 $47,900
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $22,983
Median Loan Payment $222 $237

Diversity

 TCU UTSA
% Men 6% 6%
% Women 9% 7%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 73% 25%
% Black 5% 9%
% Hispanic 11% 53%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 5% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 TCU UTSA
% In-State 44% 97%
% Out-of-State 52% 2%

Campus

 TCU UTSA
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Texas at San Antonio is larger than than TCU based on total student enrollment (34,864 students vs. 12,785 students)

TCU vs. UTSA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TCU or UTSA?

  • Texas Christian University is 860% more expensive to attend than UTSA for in-state tuition ($57,130.00 vs. $5,951.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 201.9% higher at TCU than The University of Texas at San Antonio ($57,130.00 vs. $18,925.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Texas at San Antonio than TCU ($10,831 vs. $39,005)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Texas at San Antonio are 25% lower than costs at Texas Christian University ($11,843 vs. $14,800)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Texas Christian University than The University of Texas at San Antonio (81% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Texas Christian University students is 221.1% larger than aid received The University of Texas at San Antonio ($33,813 vs. $10,530)

TCU vs. UTSA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, TCU or UTSA? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UTSA or TCU .

  • The average SAT score at Texas Christian University (1220) is 177 points higher than at UTSA (1043)
  • Incoming TCU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UTSA (23)
  • Accepted freshman TCU students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at UTSA (3.36)
  • UTSA has a higher acceptance rate (88.5%) than TCU (42.6%)

TCU vs. UTSA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, TCU or UTSA? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UTSA and TCU.

  • The graduation rate at TCU is higher than The University of Texas at San Antonio (74% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from Texas Christian University earn on average $9,700 more per year than UTSA graduates after ten years. ($57,600 vs. $47,900)
  • Texas Christian University students graduate with a $1,483 lower median federal student loan debt than UTSA graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,983)
  • TCU graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than UTSA graduates. ($222 vs. $237)
  • More TCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UTSA students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 55%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/