Skip to content
AlmaSpire

San Marcos, TX · Public · 36,177 undergraduates · urban

Texas State University

Less selective

Texas State combines a traditional San Marcos campus with applied programs positioned along the fast-growing Austin–San Antonio corridor.

TxStateFAN / CC BY-SA 3.0

Institutional profile

Well established Strong in mobility, and solid in student experience.
Academic Emerging Affordability Solid Career Solid Mobility Strong Experience Solid
Academic standing Emerging
Affordability Solid
Career outcomes Solid
Mobility Strong
Student experience Solid
Admission
89.5% admitted

37,183 applicants in the reported year

Price by income
Resident and nonresident prices differ

Compare recent average annual costs by household income

Completion
62.3%

$56,906 median earnings 10 years after enrollment

What sets Texas State University apart

Academic design

Programs include engineering, health professions, agriculture and specialized fields such as Concrete Industry Management.

Campus pattern

The hilly campus overlooks downtown San Marcos and sits near Spring Lake and the San Marcos River.

Career & value signal

Austin and San Antonio widen internship options in technology, healthcare, construction and government.

Can I get in?

89.5% admitted

Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.

Recent applicant pool

37,183

About 89 in every 100 applicants were admitted.

Admission rate 89.5%
Entering class

Academic range

SAT middle 50%980–1190
8401320
ACT middle 50%19–26
1431

Of admitted students, 47% submitted an SAT, and 7% submitted an ACT. Because ACT scores came from few admitted students, the range describes that self-selected group rather than the full class.

Academic benchmarkLess selective

In the season card

Where your GPA sits in the entering class

The full entering-class GPA distribution for Texas State University, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.

See where I land

In the season card

What Texas State University weighs when it reads a file

See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.

  • Course rigor  
  • GPA  
  • Test scores  
  • Essay  
  • Recommendations  
  • Extracurriculars  
  • Demonstrated interest  
See what counts here

What moves the application

The evidence that separates a strong file

01

Show preparation for this curriculum

Programs include engineering, health professions, agriculture and specialized fields such as Concrete Industry Management.

02

Make institutional fit specific

Texas State combines a traditional San Marcos campus with applied programs positioned along the fast-growing Austin–San Antonio corridor.

03

Use the application route carefully

Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.

How to apply

Rounds, route, and required materials

Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.

Regular Decisionrolling
Fee and waiver$75 application fee

Fee waiver: u.s. only

Major and program admission

Some fields have their own entry path.

The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.

BusinessAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Communication and journalismAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Computer scienceAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Teacher preparationAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

EngineeringAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

NursingAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Can I afford it?

Compare annual cost by household income.

Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.

Published annual cost$30,880
Average annual cost after aid, in-state$17,000
Affordability profileSolid

College funding

Scholarships and financial aid

Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.

Texas State University publishes four merit awards, the largest reaching $10,000 to $20,000 a year. No separate scholarship application is required; the college uses the admission application. All of them renew past the first year.

Automatic consideration An award reaching $10,000 to $20,000 a year

Open across the university · Merit · Guaranteed at a stated threshold · Renews each year

Automatic consideration An award reaching $5,000 to $10,000 a year

Open across the university · Merit · Guaranteed at a stated threshold · Renews each year

Automatic consideration An award reaching $5,000 to $10,000 a year

Open across the university · Merit · Guaranteed at a stated threshold · Renews each year

Nomination required An award reaching $10,000 to $20,000 a year

Open across the university · Merit · Guaranteed at a stated threshold · Renews each year

In the season card

These four awards, by name

What each one is called, what it pays, the grades and scores it asks for, and what to send.

  • The name of each award 
  • What it pays 
  • The grades and scores it asks for 
  • How to be considered 
  • What to send, and where 
See the full read
Open financial aid plan

In the season card

Average annual cost by household income at Texas State University

Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.

  • $0–30k 
  • $30–48k 
  • $48–75k 
  • $75–110k 
  • $110k+ 
Open the price by income

Is it worth it?

Completion, debt, and earnings

Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.

Complete within 8 years62.3%

Degree completion across the reported entering cohort

Return after year one78.8%

First-year students who return for year two

Median federal debtWhat students owe on the way out

And what that comes to against what they earn.

Median earnings$56,906

Reported 10 years after enrollment

Academic portfolio

Largest bachelor’s fields

How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.

Psychology, General

Recent graduates508
Median earnings$50,549

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

Recent graduates423
Median earnings$55,832

Criminal Justice and Corrections

Recent graduates344
Median earnings$52,447

What is campus life like?

Texas State University beyond the classroom

The hilly campus overlooks downtown San Marcos and sits near Spring Lake and the San Marcos River.

Academics

A defining academic feature

Programs include engineering, health professions, agriculture and specialized fields such as Concrete Industry Management.

Campus setting

What shapes an ordinary week

The hilly campus overlooks downtown San Marcos and sits near Spring Lake and the San Marcos River.

Career & value

Where the degree can lead

Austin and San Antonio widen internship options in technology, healthcare, construction and government.

36,177 undergraduatesSouthwesturban setting84% of first-year students live on campus