UT Dallas vs. TCU

Should I go to The University of Texas at Dallas or Texas Christian University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UT Dallas or TCU 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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The University of Texas at Dallas vs. Texas Christian University comparison
The University of Texas at Dallas Texas Christian University College 3 College 4
The University of Texas at Dallas Texas Christian University
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Overview

 UT Dallas TCU
Location Richardson, TX Fort Worth, TX
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 30,885 12,785
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #244 #107
Religious Affiliation - Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website utdallas.edu tcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UT Dallas TCU
Tuition (In State) $14,564 $57,130
Tuition (Out of State) $40,064 $57,130
Room & Board $13,832 $14,800
Avg Net Price $13,464 $39,005
Avg Grant Aid $14,643 $33,813
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 81%

Admission

 UT Dallas TCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 29,366 20,517
Admitted 19,224 8,740
Acceptance Rate 65.5% 42.6%
Enrolled % 21.6% 28.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.78 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/32 26/31
SAT Range 1170/1410 1150/1375
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 May 1, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 UT Dallas TCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 27:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Communication (18%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 UT Dallas TCU
Graduation Rate 61% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,000 $57,600
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,750 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $193 $222

Diversity

 UT Dallas TCU
% Men 18% 6%
% Women 13% 9%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 37% 73%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 18% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 UT Dallas TCU
% In-State 93% 44%
% Out-of-State 4% 52%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Texas at Dallas is larger than than TCU based on total student enrollment (30,885 students vs. 12,785 students)

UT Dallas vs. TCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UT Dallas or TCU?

  • Texas Christian University is 292.3% more expensive to attend than UT Dallas for in-state tuition ($57,130.00 vs. $14,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.6% higher at TCU than The University of Texas at Dallas ($57,130.00 vs. $40,064.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Texas at Dallas than TCU ($13,464 vs. $39,005)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Texas at Dallas are 7% lower than costs at Texas Christian University ($13,832 vs. $14,800)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Texas Christian University than The University of Texas at Dallas (81% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Texas Christian University students is 130.9% larger than aid received The University of Texas at Dallas ($33,813 vs. $14,643)

UT Dallas vs. TCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Texas at Dallas (1265) is 45 points higher than at TCU (1220)
  • Incoming UT Dallas students have at the same average ACT score (28) as students at TCU (28)
  • Accepted freshman UT Dallas students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.78) than students at TCU (3.68)
  • UT Dallas has a higher acceptance rate (65.5%) than TCU (42.6%)

UT Dallas vs. TCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UT Dallas or TCU? 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 TCU and UT Dallas.

  • The graduation rate at TCU is higher than The University of Texas at Dallas (74% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from The University of Texas at Dallas earn on average $1,400 more per year than TCU graduates after ten years. ($59,000 vs. $57,600)
  • The University of Texas at Dallas students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than TCU graduates. ($18,750 vs. $21,500)
  • UT Dallas graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than TCU graduates. ($193 vs. $222)
  • More TCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UT Dallas students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 64%)

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