UT-Pan American vs. TSU

Comparable Facts

Compare The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, TX with Texas Southern University in Houston, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is larger than TSU based on total student enrollment (33,881 students vs. 8,704 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is located in Edinburg, TX (Small City setting); Texas Southern University is in Houston, TX (Large City setting).
• The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Texas Southern University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 20:1; Texas Southern University 19:1.

UT-Pan American vs. TSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UT-Pan American or TSU? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley than TSU ($5,282 vs. $13,584).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley are 24% lower than at Texas Southern University ($9,728 vs. $12,800).
• The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is 8.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than TSU (about $814 more per year; $9,987.00 vs. $9,173.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.3% higher at TSU than at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (about $1,646 more per year; $21,473.00 vs. $19,827.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Texas Southern University than at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (95% vs. 93%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley students is 18.7% larger than aid received by Texas Southern University students ($11,663 vs. $9,823).

UT-Pan American vs. TSU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UT-Pan American or TSU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between TSU and UT-Pan American.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (990) is 90 points higher than at TSU (900).
• Incoming UT-Pan American students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (18 vs. 17 at TSU).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 880/1090; Texas Southern University 800/1000.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 15/21; Texas Southern University 15/19.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UT-Pan American - Test optional; TSU - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: UT-Pan American Jul 1, 2027; TSU Jul 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman UT-Pan American students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.16) than students at TSU (3.0).
• TSU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than UT-Pan American (94.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 40.5% at UT-Pan American vs. 17.9% at TSU.

UT-Pan American vs. TSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UT-Pan American and TSU? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's six-year graduation rate (42%) is higher than Texas Southern University's (12%).
• Graduates from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley earn a median of about $5,700 more per year than TSU graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,900 vs. $36,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley graduates have a $18,819 lower median loan debt than TSU graduates ($10,539 vs. $29,358).
• Among borrowers, UT-Pan American graduates have an estimated $195 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than TSU graduates ($108 vs. $303).
• More UT-Pan American graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TSU students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 22%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.