Texas A&M: the complete school report for parents
Texas A&M rates 5 of the 18 admission factors Very Important, among them course rigor, GPA and extracurricular activities. A second tier of the essay, first-generation status and geography carries real weight too. It does not consider legacy and the interview, so family connections carry no weight. Texas A&M admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, and scores are optional but help when they are strong. Major matters more than the name on the diploma here: five years out, Petroleum Engineering graduates earn a median $125,028 against $42,033 for Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology.
Texas A&M is officially Texas A&M University-College Station, also known as A&m or Tamu. 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 2026-10-21.
Is Texas A&M a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Texas A&M against the figures above. No account needed.
What’s new at Texas A&M for 2026-27
Free tuition now reaches Texas families with income and assets under $100,000. Starting in fall 2026 on the College Station campus, the Aggie Assurance program covers tuition for incoming undergraduates who are Texas residents, have family income and assets below $100,000, and meet the state priority aid deadline. Texas A&M has also extended its freeze on undergraduate tuition and required fees, held at 2021 levels, through the 2026-27 academic year. The College Station application for fall 2027 runs from 1 August to 1 December 2026, with remaining documents due 15 December.
Source: Texas A&M University reinforces commitment to affordable education with expanded aid, Texas A&M Stories (20 Feb 2026); How to Apply as a Freshman, Texas A&M Admissions
What does Texas A&M actually weigh in admissions?
Texas A&M rates 5 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA, extracurricular activities, talent, class rank. It does not consider 3 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Texas A&M's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How Texas A&M rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Considered |
| the essay | Important |
| extracurricular activities | Very Important |
| recommendations | Considered |
| personal qualities | Considered |
| talent | Very Important |
| class rank | Very Important |
| demonstrated interest | Not reported |
| the interview | Not Considered |
| legacy | Not Considered |
| first-generation status | Important |
| geography | Important |
| state residency | Important |
| volunteer work | Not reported |
| work experience | Not reported |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does Texas A&M consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
Does Texas A&M consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Texas A&M consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Texas A&M consider the application essay?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Texas A&M consider extracurricular activities?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Texas A&M consider recommendation letters?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Texas A&M consider character and personal qualities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Texas A&M consider a special talent or ability?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Texas A&M consider class rank?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Texas A&M consider demonstrated interest?
Not reported in the most recent Common Data Set.
Does Texas A&M consider an interview?
No. Texas A&M does not consider it. There is no interview to prepare for.
Does Texas A&M consider legacy status?
No. Texas A&M does not consider it. A parent or grandparent who attended gives no advantage.
Does Texas A&M consider being first-generation?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Texas A&M consider where we live?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Texas A&M consider state residency?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Texas A&M consider volunteer work?
Not reported in the most recent Common Data Set.
Does Texas A&M consider work experience?
Not reported in the most recent Common Data Set.
Does Texas A&M consider religious affiliation?
No. Texas A&M does not consider it.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
Texas A&M admitted 51.6% of 6,622 transfer applicants, against 51.7% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.5.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
Texas A&M reports its early rounds below.
| Regular application deadline | December 1 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | December 15 |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | No |
| Early Action offered | Yes |
| Early Action deadline | October 15 |
| Application fee | $75 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | No |
What does my child need to take in high school?
Texas A&M requires 22 academic units and recommends 26. A college-preparatory program is recommended. A GED is accepted.
| Subject | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 years | 4 years |
| Mathematics | 3 years | 4 years |
| Science | 3 years | 4 years |
| of which lab science | 0 years | Not stated |
| Foreign language | 2 years | 2 years |
| Visual / performing arts | 1 year | Not stated |
What will Texas A&M actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $21,315 a year at Texas A&M after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $8,886. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 71% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 1,565 merit awards averaging $4,751 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
What families at each income level actually paid:
| Family income | Average net price per year |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $12,784 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $13,317 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $17,435 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $26,520 |
| Over $110,000 | $30,660 |
36% of Texas A&M graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $27,831 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $189 a month in repayment. Texas A&M’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from Texas A&M pay off?
Graduates earn a median $72,097 ten years after entering, and $59,386 at six years. 88% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 82% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:
| Family income | Four-year net cost | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $51,136 | 1.8 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $53,268 | 1.9 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $69,740 | 2.5 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $106,080 | 3.8 |
| Over $110,000 | $122,640 | 4.4 |
A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.
$125,028 to $42,033, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Texas A&M:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum Engineering | $125,028 | 93 |
| Chemical Engineering | $123,773 | 246 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $107,294 | 281 |
| Industrial Engineering | $103,679 | 261 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | $101,224 | 271 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $101,031 | 262 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $100,030 | 307 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $97,743 | 415 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $81,761 | 471 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $56,370 | 688 |
| Anthropology | $43,190 | 46 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $42,033 | 124 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
95% of first-years return for a second year. 63% graduate within four years and 85% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 76.0% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 88.0% of everyone else, a gap of 12.0 points.
How big are the classes?
27% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 9% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 20:1, and 89% of faculty are full-time. Both are true at once: 9% of sections seat 100 or more, and those are the introductory lectures. Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
What is life at Texas A&M like?
62,031 undergraduates, 5.2% of first-years from out of state. 55.08% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 20.48% across all undergraduates. 30% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $67,194.
Texas A&M does not guarantee on-campus housing to incoming freshmen and does not require them to live on campus, though some scholarships do. Rooms are assigned first-come, first-served and the university moves applicants to a wait list once it reaches capacity, typically in February for fall. Once a contract is signed and an offer made, a space is guaranteed but not a particular building or room, and returning residents who renew on time are guaranteed a space.
Source: Freshman Requirement, Texas A&M Residence Life Help Center; Getting Started, Texas A&M Residence Life; Contract Renewal, Texas A&M Residence Life
More than 650 Texas A&M students compete in 20 varsity sports in NCAA Division I. The Aggies have played in the Southeastern Conference since 2012-13, after the Southwest Conference and the Big 12, and the athletics department counts 33 national championships.
Source: Athletics, Texas A&M University; Texas A&M's Championship History, Texas A&M Athletics
Texas A&M says it sends over 5,600 students to 110 countries each year through Education Abroad, a count that includes study, internship, volunteer and research programs. U.S. News ranks it No. 3 among public universities for study abroad in the 2027 edition.
Source: Texas A&M University Facts; Education Abroad at Texas A&M University; Texas A&M earns top national marks for engineering, first-year student experience, service learning and study abroad, Texas A&M Stories (22 Sept 2026)
How is Texas A&M ranked, and how strong is the alumni network?
Texas A&M is ranked #59 for national universities (down from #51) in the U.S. News Best Colleges 2027. Its full set of published positions, including the ones that are less flattering:
| Ranking | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. News Best Colleges 2027, national universities (down from #51) | #59 |
| U.S. News Best Colleges 2027, public universities | #24 |
| U.S. News Best Colleges 2027, study abroad (public universities) | #3 |
| U.S. News Best Colleges 2027, first-year experience (public universities) | #8 |
| U.S. News Best Colleges 2027, undergraduate engineering | #17 |
Shown in full, including the less flattering ones.
Source: Texas A&M earns top national marks for engineering, first-year student experience, service learning and study abroad, Texas A&M Stories (22 Sept 2026); Texas A&M undergraduate engineering programs improve in national rankings, Texas A&M Engineering News (22 Sept 2026); TCU Jumps, UT And Texas A&M Slide In New U.S. News College Rankings, Yahoo News
Texas A&M counts more than 630,000 former students, a definition that includes everyone who attended, graduate or not. The Association of Former Students counted 550,373 living former students out of 604,530 in total as of 5 February 2025.
Source: Texas A&M University Facts; The Association Reference Points 2025, The Association of Former Students
What this means for your student
- Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten. Texas A&M recommends 26 academic units.
- Its highest-earning major returns $125,028 five years out against $42,033 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 Texas A&M
What do Texas A&M graduates earn?
Texas A&M graduates earn a median $72,097 ten years after entering, and 88% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with Texas A&M
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: Texas A&M’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-10-21. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.