University of Texas at Austin: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
College Station, Texas · Public · Moderately selective
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.
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.
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.
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.