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

Fort Worth, Texas · Private nonprofit · Selective · CDS 2024-2025

Acceptance rate
43%
22,307 applicants
Avg SAT
1260
Mid 50: 1150–1340
In-state tuition
$57,220
per year, before aid
Net price (avg)
$33,531
after aid, what families pay
Quick answer

Trinity University is a private nonprofit university in Fort Worth, Texas that admits about 43% of applicants, making it a selective school. The average family pays about $33,531 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Finance and Financial Management Services, Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing and Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 85% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 5.1 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.

Trinity University is a private institution located in Fort Worth, Texas with a selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, Trinity University admits between a quarter and half of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 43%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1303 and an ACT composite around 29. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $33,531 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Trinity 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 Trinity University?

Admitted students at Trinity University typically present unweighted GPAs in the 3.6–3.9 range with several honors or AP courses. 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
From the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Trinity University.

What does Trinity University weight in admissions?

Trinity University reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.

Very Important2 factors
  • Rigor of secondary school record
  • Academic GPA
Important6 factors
  • Application essay
  • Extracurricular activities
  • Character/personal qualities
  • First generation status
  • Volunteer work
  • Work experience
Considered9 factors
  • Class rank
  • Standardized test scores
  • Recommendations
  • Talent/ability
  • Alumni/ae relation
  • Geographical residence
  • State residency
  • Religious affiliation/commitment
  • Level of applicant's interest
Not Considered1 factor
  • Interview

SAT and ACT scores Trinity University typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 570–685, with an EBRW midpoint near 620. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 26–31. A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.

SAT Composite
25th percentile1150
50th percentile1260
75th percentile1340
% submitting SAT22%
ACT Composite
25th percentile26
50th percentile29
75th percentile31
% submitting ACT21%
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 class50.7%
Top 25% of class80.5%
Top 50% of class95.9%
% submitting class rank33.9%

How much does Trinity University actually cost?

Published tuition is $57,220 for in-state students and $57,220 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $14,800 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $33,531 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 13% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.

In-state tuition$63,500
Room and board$17,750
Average net price (after aid)$33,531
Application fee$50 (waivers available)

Application deadlines and early decision data for Trinity University

Regular admission
Regular deadline2/1
Notification date4/1
Reply deadline5/1
Early admission
Offers Early DecisionYes
ED deadline11/1
ED acceptance rate69%

Will my child graduate from Trinity 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
92.9%
returned for sophomore year
4-year graduation
null%
finished on time
6-year graduation
85%
finished within 6 years

Most popular majors at Trinity University

The most popular undergraduate programs at Trinity University, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Finance and Financial Management Services, Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing and Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. Across all programs, Trinity University confers roughly 1,125 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Finance and Financial Management Services program report a median income of about $112,562 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)
Finance and Financial Management Services212$112,562
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing180$91,050
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication150$81,217
Marketing137$95,158
Communication and Media Studies123$73,722
Accounting and Related Services116$99,015
Economics111$83,781
Psychology, General96$57,357
Bachelor's-degree completions from federal IPEDS data; earnings from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Is Trinity University safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Trinity University disclosed 56 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 5.1 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 2 violent offenses and 18 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
56
5.1 per 1,000 students
Violent crime
2
0.18 per 1,000
Sexual assault / VAWA
18
1.63 per 1,000
Burglary
7
reported incidents
Clery Act disclosures (2024) cover on-campus, noncampus, and adjacent public-property incidents; rates use an enrollment of 11,026 students.

What is campus life like at Trinity University?

About 48% of undergraduates at Trinity University live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 49% of men join a fraternity and 62% 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
48%
of undergraduates
In fraternities
49%
of men
In sororities
62%
of women
From the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Trinity University.

Other colleges in Texas parents ask about

How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Trinity University

Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Trinity 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 Trinity University

What GPA do I need for Trinity University?

Admitted students at Trinity University typically present unweighted GPAs in the 3.6–3.9 range with several honors or AP courses.

What SAT or ACT score does Trinity University typically admit?

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 570–685, with an EBRW midpoint near 620. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 26–31.

How much does Trinity University actually cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Trinity University after grants and scholarships is $33,531 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 Trinity 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, Trinity 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 Trinity University?

Trinity University accepts about 43% of applicants out of roughly 22,307 who apply each year. That makes it a selective school.

Is Trinity University test-optional?

Yes. Trinity 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 Trinity University?

About 85% of students at Trinity University graduate within six years. 93% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.

Does applying Early Decision improve my chances at Trinity University?

Trinity University's Early Decision acceptance rate is about 69%, compared with its overall rate of 43%. Applying ED can meaningfully improve admission odds, but it is a binding commitment to enroll if accepted.

What does Trinity University look for in applicants?

Trinity University rates course rigor and GPA as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.

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

Trinity University is a private nonprofit institution located in Fort Worth, Texas.

What are the most popular majors at Trinity University?

The largest undergraduate majors at Trinity University by annual graduates are Finance and Financial Management Services, Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing and Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. The school awards about 1,125 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.

Is Trinity University safe? What is its campus crime rate?

Trinity University reported 56 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 5.1 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 Trinity University?

At Trinity University, 48% of undergraduates live on campus, 49% of men are in fraternities, 62% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.

Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Trinity 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.