UT Austin: the complete school report for parents

What’s new at UT Austin for 2026-27

A new automatic-admission route for homeschooled Texans. Under a 2025 change to state law (HB 3041), UT Austin automatically admits eligible spring 2027, summer/fall 2027 and spring 2028 freshman applicants who completed a non-traditional secondary education, such as homeschooling, and submit an SAT composite of 1570 or higher or an ACT composite of 36. For Texas students ranked in their high school class, the automatic-admission threshold for summer/fall 2027 stays at the top 5%. At least one official SAT or ACT score is required, and Early Action decisions come by 15 January 2027 and regular decisions by 15 February 2027.

Source: Review and Decision Process, University of Texas Admissions; Freshman, University of Texas Admissions

What does UT Austin actually weigh in admissions?

UT Austin rates none of the 18 factors "Very Important". It does not consider 4 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is UT Austin's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.

Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?

UT Austin admitted 22.0% of 12,168 transfer applicants, against 22.2% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here.

When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?

UT Austin offers neither Early Decision nor Early Action, so there is no early round to strategize about and every applicant is read in one pool.

What does my child need to take in high school?

UT Austin requires 14 academic units and recommends 20. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.

What will UT Austin actually cost us?

Families pay an average of $19,857 a year at UT Austin after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $11,656. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 71.3% of demonstrated need on average.

What families at each income level actually paid:

36% of UT Austin graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $20,429 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $217 a month in repayment. UT Austin’s net price calculator gives your own figure.

Does a degree from UT Austin pay off?

Graduates earn a median $75,121 ten years after entering, and $60,896 at six years. 87% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 77% are actively paying down their loans three years in.

Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:

A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.

$132,436 to $43,067, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at UT Austin:

College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.

Will my child actually graduate?

97% of first-years return for a second year. 74% graduate within four years and 89% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 84.0% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 91.5% of everyone else, a gap of 7.5 points.

How big are the classes?

41% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 7% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 18:1, and 84% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

What is life at UT Austin like?

44,314 undergraduates, 8% of first-years from out of state. 61% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 17% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 13% of men join a fraternity and 17% of women a sorority. 28% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $72,284.

UT Austin does not guarantee on-campus housing and does not require students to live on campus, though it strongly recommends it for first-years. University Housing and Dining aims to offer contracts to as many incoming first-time freshmen as it can; the application opens 1 August, and room selection order depends on when the application is complete, so applying early matters.

Source: Room Assignments, UT Austin University Housing and Dining; Frequently Asked Questions, University of Texas Admissions

How is UT Austin ranked, and how strong is the alumni network?

UT Austin is ranked #8 for public universities in the U.S. News Best Colleges 2027. Its full set of published positions, including the ones that are less flattering:

Shown in full, including the less flattering ones.

Source: Ranks and Stats, University of Texas Admissions; UT Sets Academic Performance Records, Remains the No. 1 Public University in Texas, UT News (22 September 2026); UT Computer Science Ranks No. 11 Nationally Among Undergraduate Programs

What this means for your student

• Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
• Its highest-earning major returns $132,436 five years out against $43,067 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
• See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.

Common questions about UT Austin

Other schools families compare with UT Austin

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