Baylor University: the complete school report for parents
Baylor University puts the most weight on GPA and test scores. The academic record does most of the work. It does not consider the interview, so there is no interview to prepare for. Baylor University admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, and a strong test score is close to expected. Transfer applicants are admitted at 90.2% against 52.2% for first-years, so the transfer route is materially wider.
Baylor University is officially Baylor University. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-20.
What does Baylor University actually weigh in admissions?
Baylor University rates 2 of the 18 factors "Very Important": GPA, test scores. It does not consider 1 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Baylor University's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How Baylor University rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Very Important |
| the essay | Important |
| extracurricular activities | Considered |
| recommendations | Considered |
| personal qualities | Considered |
| talent | Considered |
| class rank | Considered |
| demonstrated interest | Considered |
| the interview | Not Considered |
| legacy | Considered |
| first-generation status | Considered |
| geography | Considered |
| state residency | Considered |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Considered |
Does Baylor University consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Baylor University consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Baylor University consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. A score at or above the middle-50 range is close to expected here.
Does Baylor University consider the application essay?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Baylor University consider extracurricular activities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Baylor University consider recommendation letters?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Baylor University consider character and personal qualities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Baylor University consider a special talent or ability?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Baylor University consider class rank?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Baylor University consider demonstrated interest?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Baylor University consider an interview?
No. Baylor University does not consider it. There is no interview to prepare for.
Does Baylor University consider legacy status?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. It can act as a tiebreaker but will not carry a weak application.
Does Baylor University consider being first-generation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.
Does Baylor University consider where we live?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Baylor University consider state residency?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Baylor University consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Baylor University consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Baylor University consider religious affiliation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
What is the Baylor University waitlist really like?
Baylor University offered a place on its waiting list to 3,832 applicants and 916 accepted one. 19 were ultimately admitted. That is 2.1% of those who waited.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
Baylor University admitted 90.2% of 1,678 transfer applicants, against 52.2% of first-year applicants. For a student who does not get in at eighteen, the transfer route is a genuinely wider door and worth planning for deliberately. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.75.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
Applying Early Decision changes the odds materially: 80.0% of ED applicants were admitted against 52.2% overall, a gap of 28 points. ED is binding, so that advantage costs the ability to compare financial-aid offers.
| Regular application deadline | February 1 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | Rolling; by 4/10 for 2/1 applicants |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | Yes |
| Early Decision deadline | November 1 |
| Early Action offered | Yes |
| Early Action deadline | November 1 |
| Application fee | Not reported |
| Fee waiver available | Not reported |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What will Baylor University actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $41,104 a year at Baylor University after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $67,756. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 70.5% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 1,374 merit awards averaging $22,041 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
42% of Baylor University graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $57,257 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $244 a month in repayment. Baylor University’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from Baylor University pay off?
Graduates earn a median $65,793 ten years after entering, and $56,532 at six years. 85% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 72% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
$154,528 to $36,480, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Baylor University:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $154,528 | 28 |
| Computer Science | $107,293 | 18 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | $104,131 | 134 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $98,333 | 181 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $94,352 | 148 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $88,325 | 65 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $81,389 | 317 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | $78,646 | 73 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $77,023 | 157 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $50,814 | 60 |
| Music | $38,033 | 30 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $36,480 | 29 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
89% of first-years return for a second year. 82% within six (Fall 2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 74.5% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 84.3% of everyone else, a gap of 9.8 points.
How big are the classes?
52% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 2% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 15:1, and 67% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
What is life at Baylor University like?
14,183 undergraduates, 32% of first-years from out of state. 98% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 34% across all undergraduates. 17% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $73,627.
What this means for your student
- Baylor University rates test scores Very Important, so a score at or above its middle-50 range is close to expected rather than optional.
- Early Decision is worth 28 points of admit rate, but it is binding and removes any ability to compare aid offers.
- The waitlist is live but thin: 19 of 916 who waited were admitted, about 2%.
- If the first-year answer is no, the transfer route is genuinely wider here and worth planning for from the first semester of college.
- Its highest-earning major returns $154,528 five years out against $36,480 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about Baylor University
Does the Baylor University waitlist move?
916 students accepted a place on the Baylor University waiting list and 19 were admitted in the 2025-2026 cycle.
What do Baylor University graduates earn?
Baylor University graduates earn a median $65,793 ten years after entering, and 85% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with Baylor University
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: Baylor University’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.
How to read these numbers · Back to the Baylor University profile