Texas Christian University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

Lubbock, Texas · Public · Moderately selective · CDS 2025-2026

Acceptance rate
71%
38,566 applicants
Avg SAT
1180
Mid 50: 1110–1260
In-state tuition
$11,852
per year, before aid
Net price (avg)
$20,071
after aid, what families pay
Quick answer

Texas Christian University is a public university in Lubbock, Texas that admits about 71% of applicants, making it a moderately selective school. The average family pays about $20,071 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Business Administration, Management and Operations, Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General and Marketing, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 70% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 5.2 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.

Texas Christian University is a public institution located in Lubbock, Texas with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, Texas Christian University admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 71%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1182 and an ACT composite around 26. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $20,071 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Texas Christian University is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.

What GPA does my child need for Texas Christian University?

Texas Christian University admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.

Actual GPA distribution of admitted students
4.00
4.5%
3.75–3.99
33.3%
3.50–3.74
37.5%
3.25–3.49
17.6%
3.00–3.24
4.8%
2.50–2.99
2.0%
Below 2.50
0.3%
From the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by Texas Christian University.

What does Texas Christian University weight in admissions?

Texas Christian University reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.

Very Important4 factors
  • Rigor of secondary school record
  • Class rank
  • Academic GPA
  • Standardized test scores
Important7 factors
  • Application essay
  • Recommendations
  • Extracurricular activities
  • Talent/ability
  • Character/personal qualities
  • Volunteer work
  • Work experience
Considered3 factors
  • First generation status
  • Geographical residence
  • Level of applicant's interest
Not Considered4 factors
  • Interview
  • Alumni/ae relation
  • State residency
  • Religious affiliation/commitment

SAT and ACT scores Texas Christian University typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 540–630, with an EBRW midpoint near 600. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 22–28. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.

SAT Composite
25th percentile1110
50th percentile1180
75th percentile1260
% submitting SAT34.8%
ACT Composite
25th percentile23
50th percentile25
75th percentile28
% submitting ACT10.8%
Current testing policy
  • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
  • • Policy detail: Considered if submitted

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

Top 10% of class25%
Top 25% of class54.3%
Top 50% of class84.5%
% submitting class rank99.9%

How much does Texas Christian University actually cost?

Published tuition is $11,852 for in-state students and $24,451 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $10,460 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $20,071 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 26% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.

In-state tuition
Room and board
Average net price (after aid)$20,071
Application fee$75 (waivers available)

Application deadlines and early decision data for Texas Christian University

Regular admission
Regular deadlineAugust 1
Notification dateRolling, beginning September 1
Reply deadlineNo set date
Rolling admissionsYes

Will my child graduate from Texas Christian University?

Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.

Freshman retention
85.4%
returned for sophomore year
4-year graduation
null%
finished on time
6-year graduation
69.7%
finished within 6 years

Most popular majors at Texas Christian University

The most popular undergraduate programs at Texas Christian University, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General and Marketing. Across all programs, Texas Christian University confers roughly 2,589 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Business Administration, Management and Operations program report a median income of about $80,948 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.

MajorGraduates / yearMedian earnings (5 yrs out)
Business Administration, Management and Operations456$80,948
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General363$49,657
Marketing339$76,074
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences310
Psychology, General303$49,483
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication292$58,729
Finance and Financial Management Services274$92,415
Computer and Information Sciences, General252$106,327
Bachelor's-degree completions from federal IPEDS data; earnings from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Is Texas Christian University safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Texas Christian University disclosed 169 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 5.2 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 98 violent offenses and 20 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.

Total offenses
169
5.2 per 1,000 students
Violent crime
98
3.03 per 1,000
Sexual assault / VAWA
20
0.62 per 1,000
Burglary
6
reported incidents
Clery Act disclosures (2024) cover on-campus, noncampus, and adjacent public-property incidents; rates use an enrollment of 32,394 students.

What is campus life like at Texas Christian University?

About 24% of undergraduates at Texas Christian University live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 12% of men join a fraternity and 16% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.

Live on campus
24%
of undergraduates
In fraternities
12%
of men
In sororities
16%
of women
From the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by Texas Christian University.

Other colleges in Texas parents ask about

How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Texas Christian University

Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Texas Christian University recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.

Common questions parents ask about Texas Christian University

What GPA do I need for Texas Christian University?

Texas Christian University admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum.

What SAT or ACT score does Texas Christian University typically admit?

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 540–630, with an EBRW midpoint near 600. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 22–28.

How much does Texas Christian University actually cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Texas Christian University after grants and scholarships is $20,071 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.

Is Texas Christian University realistic for my child?

Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, Texas Christian University is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.

What is the acceptance rate at Texas Christian University?

Texas Christian University accepts about 71% of applicants out of roughly 38,566 who apply each year. That makes it a moderately selective school.

Is Texas Christian University test-optional?

Yes. Texas Christian University is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.

What is the graduation rate at Texas Christian University?

About 70% of students at Texas Christian University graduate within six years. 85% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.

What does Texas Christian University look for in applicants?

Texas Christian University rates course rigor, class rank, GPA and test scores as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.

Is Texas Christian University a public or private school, and where is it located?

Texas Christian University is a public institution located in Lubbock, Texas.

What are the most popular majors at Texas Christian University?

The largest undergraduate majors at Texas Christian University by annual graduates are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General and Marketing. The school awards about 2,589 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.

Is Texas Christian University safe? What is its campus crime rate?

Texas Christian University reported 169 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 5.2 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.

What is campus life like at Texas Christian University?

At Texas Christian University, 24% of undergraduates live on campus, 12% of men are in fraternities, 16% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.

Data sourced from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by Texas Christian University, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.