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

Texas State is a public institution located in San Marcos, Texas. For the most recent reporting cycle, Texas State admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 91%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1070 and an ACT composite around 22. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $16,805 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.

What GPA does my child need for Texas State?

Texas State has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.

What does Texas State weight in admissions?

Texas State reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean

SAT and ACT scores Texas State typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 480–590, with an EBRW midpoint near 550. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 19–25. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.

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.

How much does Texas State actually cost?

Published tuition is $11,450 for in-state students and $22,930 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $12,630 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $16,805 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 37% of students receive Pell Grants.

Application deadlines and early decision data for Texas State

Will my child graduate from Texas State?

These predict outcomes at Texas State better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates

Most popular majors at Texas State

The most popular undergraduate programs at Texas State, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Psychology, General, Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness and Business Administration, Management and Operations. Across all programs, Texas State confers roughly 2,960 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Psychology, General program report a median income of about $49,984 five years after entering college. What these figures mean

Is Texas State safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Texas State disclosed 153 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 4.2 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 28 violent offenses and 58 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts

What is campus life like at Texas State?

About 25% of undergraduates at Texas State live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 5% of men join a fraternity and 5% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.

Other colleges in Texas parents ask about

• University of North Texas
  72% acceptance
• Texas Tech University
  73% acceptance
• University of Texas at Arlington
  80% acceptance
• University of Texas at Dallas
  65% acceptance
• University of Texas at San Antonio
  87% acceptance
• Trinity University
  26% acceptance
• Southwestern University
  43% acceptance
• Austin College
  48% acceptance

Common questions parents ask about Texas State