UH vs. TCU

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

 UH TCU
Location Houston, TX Fort Worth, TX
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 46,700 12,273
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #452 #107
Religious Affiliation - Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uh.edu tcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UH TCU
Tuition (In State) $8,685 $53,890
Tuition (Out of State) $20,877 $53,890
Room & Board $10,418 $14,250
Avg Net Price $14,056 $44,190
Avg Grant Aid $11,457 $28,048
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 89%

Admission

 UH TCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 29,783 16,197
Admitted 19,728 9,087
Acceptance Rate 66.2% 56.1%
Enrolled % 28.2% 27.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 23/29 26/31
SAT Range 1160/1330 1140/1360
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 31, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 UH TCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Communication (18%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 UH TCU
Graduation Rate 46% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,000 $57,600
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,750 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $204 $222

Diversity

 UH TCU
% Men 48% 39%
% Women 52% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 26% 73%
% Black 10% 5%
% Hispanic 32% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 5% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 UH TCU
% In-State 93% 43%
% Out-of-State 3% 52%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Houston is larger than than TCU based on total student enrollment (46,700 students vs. 12,273 students)

UH vs. TCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UH or TCU?

  • Texas Christian University is 520.5% more expensive to attend than UH for in-state tuition ($53,890.00 vs. $8,685.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 158.1% higher at TCU than University of Houston ($53,890.00 vs. $20,877.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Houston than TCU ($14,056 vs. $44,190)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Houston are 36.8% lower than costs at Texas Christian University ($10,418 vs. $14,250)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Texas Christian University than University of Houston (89% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Texas Christian University students is 144.8% larger than aid received University of Houston ($28,048 vs. $11,457)

UH vs. TCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Texas Christian University (1220) is 66 points higher than at UH (1154)
  • Incoming TCU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UH (26)
  • Accepted freshman TCU students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at UH (3.46)
  • UH has a higher acceptance rate (66.2%) than TCU (56.1%)

UH vs. TCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UH 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 UH.

  • The graduation rate at TCU is higher than University of Houston (74% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from University of Houston earn on average $1,400 more per year than TCU graduates after ten years. ($59,000 vs. $57,600)
  • University of Houston students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than TCU graduates. ($19,750 vs. $21,500)
  • UH graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than TCU graduates. ($204 vs. $222)
  • More TCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UH students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 61%)

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