UHCL vs. UT-Pan American

Comparable Facts

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

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is larger than UHCL based on total student enrollment (33,881 students vs. 8,137 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of Houston Clear Lake is located in Houston, TX (Large Suburban setting); The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is in Edinburg, TX (Small City setting).
• University of Houston Clear Lake is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Houston Clear Lake 15:1; The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 20:1.

UHCL vs. UT-Pan American Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UHCL or UT-Pan American? 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 UHCL ($5,282 vs. $14,059).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley are 23.1% lower than at University of Houston Clear Lake ($9,728 vs. $12,642).
• The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is 28.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than UHCL (about $2,217 more per year; $9,987.00 vs. $7,770.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 6.5% higher at UHCL than at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (about $1,287 more per year; $21,114.00 vs. $19,827.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley than at University of Houston Clear Lake (93% vs. 76%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of Houston Clear Lake students is 8.3% larger than aid received by The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley students ($12,630 vs. $11,663).

UHCL vs. UT-Pan American Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at University of Houston Clear Lake (1060) is 70 points higher than at UT-Pan American (990).
• Incoming UHCL students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate) (22 vs. 18 at UT-Pan American).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: University of Houston Clear Lake 970/1150; The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 880/1090.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: University of Houston Clear Lake 20/25; The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 15/21.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UHCL - Test optional; UT-Pan American - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: UHCL Jun 1, 2027; UT-Pan American Jul 1, 2027.
• Enrolled freshman UHCL students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at UT-Pan American (3.16).
• UT-Pan American has a higher acceptance rate (94.2%) than UHCL (90.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 22.2% at UHCL vs. 40.5% at UT-Pan American.

UHCL vs. UT-Pan American Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UHCL and UT-Pan American? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's six-year graduation rate is 42%. Comparable graduation rate data is not available for UHCL.
• Graduates from University of Houston Clear Lake earn a median of about $11,800 more per year than UT-Pan American graduates about ten years after starting college ($53,700 vs. $41,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley graduates have a $6,611 lower median loan debt than UHCL graduates ($10,539 vs. $17,150).
• Among borrowers, UT-Pan American graduates have an estimated $69 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UHCL graduates ($108 vs. $177).
• More UHCL graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UT-Pan American students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 51%)

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.