Universities in Texas

3 campuses profiled, with admission requirements, published costs, test policies and deadlines. Reviewed 2026-09-20.

Private Founded 1912

Rice University

Houston, Texas

Acceptance: 8%
In-state tuition: $60,000
Undergrads: 4,600

A small private research university with a residential college system and one of the lowest student-to-faculty ratios in Texas.

Public Founded 1876

Texas A&M University

College Station, Texas

Acceptance: 63%
In-state tuition: $13,000
Undergrads: 57,000

One of the largest universities in the United States, with a strong engineering pipeline and a corps of cadets tradition.

Public Founded 1883

University of Texas at Austin

Austin, Texas

Acceptance: 29%
In-state tuition: $12,000
Undergrads: 42,000

Texas residents in the top 6% of their high school class receive automatic admission to the university, though not to every major.

Studying in Texas

This page lists the 3 universities in Texas currently profiled in the directory: 2 public and 1 private nonprofit. Each profile carries the same fields — acceptance rate, published tuition for residents and non-residents, standardized test policy, deadlines and accreditation — so the campuses can be compared directly.

The lowest published in-state tuition in this group is at University of Texas at Austin, at about $12,000 per year before housing and fees.

The most selective is Rice University, reporting an acceptance rate near 8%.

The largest undergraduate population belongs to Texas A&M University with roughly 57,000 undergraduates.

If you are a resident of Texas, the public campuses above are almost always the lowest-cost route to a bachelor's degree, and the state's community colleges add a cheaper first two years through transfer agreements. If you are applying from outside the state, compare the non-resident rate against private universities after aid before assuming the public option is cheaper — it frequently is not.

Frequently asked questions

How many universities does this directory list in Texas?

3 institutions in Texas are profiled here: 2 public and 1 private nonprofit. The state has more institutions than this; the directory covers the campuses students most often compare.

What is the cheapest university in Texas in this directory?

University of Texas at Austin has the lowest published in-state tuition in this list at about $12,000 per year, before housing, food and fees. Aid can lower the net price further.

Do I pay in-state tuition if I move to Texas for university?

Usually not. Texas, like almost every state, excludes time spent in the state primarily for education from the residency clock, so students who move to study normally remain non-residents for the whole degree.

Which university in Texas is hardest to get into?

Among the campuses profiled here, Rice University reports the lowest acceptance rate at about 8%. Selectivity also varies sharply by major within any single university.