University of Texas at Austin: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
College Station, Texas · Public · Moderately selective · CDS 2024-2025
University of Texas at Austin is a public university in College Station, Texas that admits about 63% of applicants, making it a moderately selective school. The average family pays about $20,924 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Biology, General, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other and Psychology, General, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 84% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 7.3 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
University of Texas at Austin is a public institution located in College Station, Texas with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of Texas at Austin admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 63%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1272 and an ACT composite around 28. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $20,924 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of Texas at Austin 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 parents should know about University of Texas at Austin right now
The University of Texas at Austin is the flagship of the UT System, with 53,864 total students enrolled in fall 2024, including 43,165 undergraduates. The most important recent change for applying families is the reinstatement of standardized test scores. Beginning with fall 2025 applications, SAT or ACT scores are required for all first-year applicants after four years of test-optional review, with UT Austin citing the tests as a useful differentiator. For fall 2023, UT Austin admitted 19,253 of 66,109 applicants, a 29.1 percent admit rate, and 74.4 percent of enrolled freshmen ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school class. Distinctive programs include nine honors tracks, among them the Plan II Honors Program and the Turing Scholars Program in Computer Science, plus the Freshman Research Initiative. Accounting and Latin American history programs consistently rank near the top nationally, and McCombs, Cockrell Engineering, and the Moody College of Communication are widely recognized. UT Austin's endowment, separate from the broader Permanent University Fund, was $20.85 billion in FY2024, with a $4.35 billion FY2025 budget. Recent campus news parents may have seen includes the April 2024 elimination of about 60 positions tied to diversity programs after Texas legislation, and pro-Palestinian protest activity that resulted in 57 arrests, later dismissed. On-campus housing for 2024 to 2025 ranges from $13,504 to $20,447 per academic year.
What GPA does my child need for University of Texas at Austin?
University of Texas at Austin 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.
What does University of Texas at Austin weight in admissions?
University of Texas at Austin reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Class rank
- • Academic GPA
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Application essay
- • First generation status
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Standardized test scores
- • Recommendations
- • Character/personal qualities
- • Level of applicant's interest
- • Interview
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
SAT and ACT scores University of Texas at Austin typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 570–700, with an EBRW midpoint near 625. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 25–31. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 1160 |
| 50th percentile | 1270 |
| 75th percentile | 1390 |
| % submitting SAT | 71% |
| 25th percentile | 25 |
| 50th percentile | 28 |
| 75th percentile | 31 |
| % submitting ACT | 19% |
- • 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 class | 66.57% |
| Top 25% of class | 91.4% |
| Top 50% of class | 99.01% |
| % submitting class rank | 73.39% |
How much does University of Texas at Austin actually cost?
Published tuition is $13,099 for in-state students and $40,328 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $13,154 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $20,924 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 19% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $8,886 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $36,187 |
| Room and board | $13,008 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $20,924 |
| Application fee | $75 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of Texas at Austin
| Regular deadline | December 1 |
| Notification date | December 15 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | October 15 |
Will my child graduate from University of Texas at Austin?
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.
Most popular majors at University of Texas at Austin
The most popular undergraduate programs at University of Texas at Austin, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Biology, General, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other and Psychology, General. Across all programs, University of Texas at Austin confers roughly 4,330 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Biology, General program report a median income of about $64,611 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.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Biology, General | 837 | $64,611 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 688 | $56,370 |
| Psychology, General | 550 | $57,797 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 509 | $72,348 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 471 | $81,761 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 453 | $67,447 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 415 | $97,743 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 407 | $62,316 |
Is University of Texas at Austin safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of Texas at Austin disclosed 433 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 7.3 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 63 violent offenses and 80 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.
What is campus life like at University of Texas at Austin?
About 18% of undergraduates at University of Texas at Austin live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. 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
- Rice University29% acceptance
- Texas A&M University-College Station8% acceptance
- Southern Methodist University89% acceptance
- Baylor University85% acceptance
- Texas Christian University71% acceptance
- University of Houston97% acceptance
- Texas State University88% acceptance
- University of North Texas100% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of Texas at Austin
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of Texas at Austin 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 University of Texas at Austin
What GPA do I need for University of Texas at Austin?
University of Texas at Austin 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 University of Texas at Austin typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 570–700, with an EBRW midpoint near 625. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 25–31.
How much does University of Texas at Austin actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Texas at Austin after grants and scholarships is $20,924 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 University of Texas at Austin 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, University of Texas at Austin 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 University of Texas at Austin?
University of Texas at Austin accepts about 63% of applicants out of roughly 54,905 who apply each year. That makes it a moderately selective school.
Is University of Texas at Austin test-optional?
Yes. University of Texas at Austin 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 University of Texas at Austin?
About 84% of students at University of Texas at Austin graduate within six years. 94% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does University of Texas at Austin look for in applicants?
University of Texas at Austin rates course rigor, class rank, GPA and extracurricular activities as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is University of Texas at Austin a public or private school, and where is it located?
University of Texas at Austin is a public institution located in College Station, Texas.
What are the most popular majors at University of Texas at Austin?
The largest undergraduate majors at University of Texas at Austin by annual graduates are Biology, General, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other and Psychology, General. The school awards about 4,330 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is University of Texas at Austin safe? What is its campus crime rate?
University of Texas at Austin reported 433 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 7.3 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 University of Texas at Austin?
At University of Texas at Austin, 18% of undergraduates live on campus, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by University of Texas at Austin, 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.