Home
Colleges
Texas
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Public Graduate Strong 77/100

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

Compare This College

Edinburg, Texas

About The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Edinburg, Texas. It enrolls 28,666 students (a very large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.

Official website: utrgv.edu

Acceptance: 94.2%
Graduation: 50.2%
Net Price: $4,831
Median Earnings (10yr): $49,620
Enrollment: 28,666
Student : Faculty: 19:1

Accreditor Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.

Strong

77/100

UCD Score · 4-Year Selective

Outcomes 49

Value 99

Affordability 97

Selectivity 9

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

With an acceptance rate of 94.2%, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.

Acceptance Rate

94.2%

Open

SAT Range (25th–75th)

880 – 1090

Reading + Math combined

ACT Range (25th–75th)

15 – 21

Cumulative composite

Test Policy Not Considered Standardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Stable ↑ 4.7 pts since 2019

Cost & Financial Aid

The real cost of attending The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $4,831 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.

Average Net Price

$4,831

Per year, after typical aid

Receive Pell Grants

65%

Need-based federal aid

Receive Federal Loans

26%

Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees (in-state): $9,987
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state): $19,827
Room & Board (on-campus): $9,728
Room & Board (off-campus): $10,262
Books & Supplies: $1,250
Other Expenses (on-campus): $3,918
Other Expenses (off-campus): $5,531
Total Cost of Attendance: $16,830

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

Under $30,000

$3,785
$30,001 – $48,000

$3,877
$48,001 – $75,000

$5,665
$75,001 – $110,000

$7,972
Over $110,000

$13,782

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$2,015

10% percentile

$3,500

25% percentile

$12,950

Median percentile

$14,347

75% percentile

$22,355

90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median

Pell recipients $9,823 ↓ $3,127

No Pell $8,548 ↓ $4,402

Dependent students $8,805 ↓ $4,145

Independent students $12,000 ↓ $950

Female students $9,861 ↓ $3,089

Male students $9,206 ↓ $3,744

Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,750, less than completers ($12,950), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

50% of full-time students who enrolled at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley graduate within six years, and 80% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

6-Year Graduation Rate

50%

Of students who graduate within six years

First-Year Retention

80%

Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley earn a median of $49,620 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)

$49,620

Earning > $25K

75%

10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates

$39,400

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates

$50,100

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)

$42,600

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)

$46,200

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)

$49,800

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $10,700, about 21% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 18.4 pts across 6 years

What this signals: Strong. 75% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is home to 28,666 students, a sprawling student community. Some distinctive traits: 53% are first-generation college students.

Total Enrolled

28,666

Part-Time

25%

First-Generation

53%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents

Hispanic 93.2% 26,725

White 2.0% 565

International 1.8% 513

Asian 1.1% 304

Black 0.6% 178

Other 0.2% 69

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting

Midsize City Edinburg, Texas

Housing

Limited on-campus housing 1,106 beds

Adult Learners

14% of students are 25 or older

Athletics

NCAA athletic-conference member

Academic Calendar

Semester scheduling structure

Designation

Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)

What You Can Study

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley offers an extensive catalog of programs: 119 distinct programs across 25 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

17 Programs

Health

Nursing $89K ($68K–$114K)
Health Sciences $61K ($43K–$82K)
Health Sciences $61K ($43K–$82K)

13 Programs

Business

Business Administration $68K ($48K–$94K)
Business Administration $68K ($48K–$94K)
Accounting $76K ($56K–$97K)

4 Programs

Biology

Biology $57K ($39K–$79K)
Biology $57K ($39K–$79K)
Ecology $49K ($36K–$64K)

6 Programs

Interdisciplinary Studies

9 Programs

Engineering

Mechanical Engineering $92K ($78K–$109K)
Civil Engineering $87K ($74K–$101K)
Electrical Engineering $101K ($85K–$122K)

3 Programs

Public Administration

Social Work $52K ($39K–$64K)
Social Work $52K ($39K–$64K)
Public Administration $65K ($47K–$87K)

View all majors View all programs

Faculty & Resources

The student-to-faculty ratio at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is 19:1, on the higher side.

Student : Faculty

19:1

Students per instructional faculty member

Instruction / Student

$8,791

Annual instructional spending per enrolled student

Endowment

$134M

Solid financial position

Avg Faculty Salary

$79,047

9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

1,363 instructional faculty across 6 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank	Faculty Count	Share	Avg Salary
Full Professors	304	22%	$104,153
Associate Professors	257	19%	$84,115
Assistant Professors	230	17%	$80,535
Instructors	3	0%	$83,597
Lecturers	567	42%	$64,075
No Rank	2	0%	$77,500

Pros & Cons of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

A quick at-a-glance summary of how The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.

PROS

Very affordable net price after aid
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Wide variety of programs and student life
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
First-gen-friendly student body

CONS

Class sizes are on the higher side
Large institutional setting can feel impersonal
Below-average completion rate

Best for: Based on the data, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; students who want a large campus with breadth and variety.

Frequently Asked Questions about The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Is The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley hard to get into?

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 94.2%.

What is the acceptance rate at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley?

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has an acceptance rate of 94.2%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.

What SAT score do you need for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley?

The middle 50% of admitted students at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley scored between 880 and 1090 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.

What ACT score do you need for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley?

The middle 50% of admitted students at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley scored between 15 and 21 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

How much does The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley cost?

The average net price after aid at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is $4,831 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Is The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley worth it?

Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $49,620 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $4,831 per year. That's roughly 10.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

What is The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley known for?

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is best known for its programs in Biology, Criminal Justice, Psychology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

What do The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley graduates earn?

Median earnings 10 years after entering The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley are $49,620, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.

Is The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley accredited?

Yes. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

How many students attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley?

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley enrolls 28,666 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.

What is the graduation rate at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley?

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley graduates 50% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

Is The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley a public or private college?

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a Public institution.

Where is The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley located?

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is located in Edinburg, Texas.

What programs does The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley offer?

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley offers 119 distinct programs. The most popular include Biology, Criminal Justice, Psychology.

What is the student-to-faculty ratio at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley?

The student-to-faculty ratio at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is 19:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.