Best Value Business/Commerce Colleges in Texas

Texas business programs show remarkable earning variations, with graduates from top schools like UT Austin and Texas A&M College Station earning $76,460 annually while others start around $30,409. The state's massive healthcare sector, anchored by Houston's Texas Medical Center, creates unique opportunities for business graduates in healthcare administration and medical services management. Public universities dominate the value market, with Texas A&M Kingsville offering the lowest net cost at $10,204 despite a 96.55% acceptance rate. Private options like Concordia University Texas command higher prices at $22,240 net cost but deliver strong returns with $57,995 median earnings. The earnings gap between highest and lowest performing programs spans $46,051, reflecting Texas's varied economic regions from energy-rich Houston to border markets in El Paso. In-state tuition advantages become particularly evident at flagship institutions, where resident students at UT Austin pay just $11,678 compared to the $19,678 net price. Major employers including HCA Healthcare and Baylor Scott & White actively recruit business graduates for management roles across the state's expanding healthcare infrastructure.

Programs

$1,113 – $41,942

Net Price Range

$45,643

Avg. Program Earnings

49.5%

Avg. Graduation Rate

40 Business/Commerce, General Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	Program Earnings	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	University of Houston-Clear Lake Houston, Texas	$11,056	$49,996	$7,746	50.9%	69.4%
2	The University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas	$19,678	$76,460	$11,678	87.6%	31.4%
3	Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, Texas	$20,924	$76,460	$13,099	83.8%	62.7%
4	Texas A & M University-Kingsville Kingsville, Texas	$10,204	$36,848	$9,892	45.6%	96.6%
5	Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas	$20,071	$66,401	$11,852	67.5%	67.3%
6	University of North Texas Denton, Texas	$14,352	$46,869	$11,164	59.6%	79.1%
7	University of Houston-Downtown Houston, Texas	$14,623	$46,589	$7,708	33.8%	88.4%
8	The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, Texas	$11,234	$35,416	$8,991	51.2%	86.9%
9	Lamar University Beaumont, Texas	$11,429	$34,704	$8,690	37.2%	83.7%
10	Midwestern State University Wichita Falls, Texas	$11,882	$35,060	$10,310	41.3%	92.4%
11	The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, Texas	$10,726	$30,771	$9,744	45.9%	99.9%
12	Strayer University-Texas Farmers Branch, Texas	$17,517	$50,096	$13,920	50.0%
13	Texas College Tyler, Texas	$10,650	$30,409	$10,008	10.7%
14	Stephen F Austin State University Nacogdoches, Texas	$15,152	$40,728	$10,600	51.7%	89.5%
15	Concordia University Texas Austin, Texas	$22,240	$57,995	$36,690	40.5%	85.7%
16	Tarleton State University Stephenville, Texas	$20,261	$52,107	$7,878	51.2%	87.1%
17	The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, Texas	$17,435	$43,984	$14,564	70.8%	84.7%
18	Sam Houston State University Huntsville, Texas	$16,025	$39,647	$9,228	55.1%	84.6%
19	West Texas A & M University Canyon, Texas	$20,841	$43,426	$9,101	47.3%	91.6%
20	Southwestern University Georgetown, Texas	$27,468	$48,432	$51,058	69.3%	44.8%
21	Austin College Sherman, Texas	$23,451	$38,289	$46,500	69.5%	54.4%
22	East Texas Baptist University Marshall, Texas	$23,790	$35,060	$30,050	48.0%	67.7%
23	Baylor University Waco, Texas	$41,942	$52,941	$54,844	80.2%	45.9%
24	Dallas Christian College Dallas, Texas	$22,456	$26,739	$20,260	23.9%	50.0%
25	Texas Woman's University Denton, Texas	$10,948		$8,648	44.2%	93.6%
26	University of North Texas at Dallas Dallas, Texas	$8,376		$9,590	43.8%	93.6%
27	Texas A&M University-San Antonio San Antonio, Texas	$13,220		$9,548	29.4%	96.1%
28	The University of Texas at Tyler Tyler, Texas	$13,931		$9,920	46.8%	93.9%
29	Texas A&M University-Central Texas Killeen, Texas	$1,113		$6,627		95.7%
30	Arlington Baptist University Arlington, Texas	$28,599		$19,290	4.5%
31	Sul Ross State University Alpine, Texas	$10,991		$7,592	27.4%	97.1%
32	Southwestern Assemblies of God University Waxahachie, Texas	$19,655		$18,610	35.5%	85.7%
33	Southern Methodist University Dallas, Texas	$41,778		$64,460	83.3%	52.3%
34	St. Mary's University San Antonio, Texas	$21,352		$36,242	58.8%	86.2%
35	Schreiner University Kerrville, Texas	$20,410		$37,396	43.7%	85.2%
36	Rice University Houston, Texas	$12,640		$58,128	95.7%	8.7%
37	McMurry University Abilene, Texas	$19,988		$31,372	38.6%	56.5%
38	University of Houston-Victoria Victoria, Texas	$8,624		$7,499	26.5%	82.1%
39	Texas A & M University-Commerce Commerce, Texas	$11,268		$10,026	45.9%	86.5%
40	Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, Texas	$15,137		$9,748	33.7%	88.0%

Frequently Asked Questions

What explains the $66,256 difference between the highest and lowest net costs among Texas business programs?

The gap stems from public versus private pricing structures and institutional prestige levels. Texas A&M Kingsville offers the lowest net cost at $10,204 with a 96.55% acceptance rate, while Concordia University Texas charges $22,240 as a private institution. Public universities benefit from state funding that keeps costs down for residents. Even among public schools, flagship institutions like UT Austin command higher net prices at $19,678 due to demand and program reputation.

How do graduation rates correlate with program costs in Texas business schools?

Higher-cost programs generally show better graduation rates, though exceptions exist. UT Austin combines a $19,678 net cost with an 87.60% graduation rate, while Texas College charges just $10,650 but graduates only 10.70% of students. Texas A&M Kingsville breaks this pattern with the lowest cost at $10,204 yet maintains a 45.60% graduation rate. The correlation suggests that institutional resources and student support services often justify higher prices.

What makes University of Houston-Clear Lake stand out for business value in Texas?

UH-Clear Lake offers strong value with the second-lowest net cost at $11,056 while producing graduates earning $49,996 annually. The school maintains a 50.90% graduation rate with a 69.37% acceptance rate, providing access without sacrificing outcomes. Its Houston location provides direct access to major employers in healthcare, energy, and logistics sectors. The combination of low cost and strong earnings potential creates one of the best return-on-investment profiles among Texas business programs.

Does attending a flagship university justify the higher costs for Texas business students?

UT Austin and Texas A&M College Station both produce graduates earning $76,460, significantly above the state average, despite higher net costs around $20,000. Their 87.60% and 83.80% graduation rates respectively far exceed most alternatives. The networking opportunities, alumni connections, and employer recognition at flagship institutions often lead to faster career advancement. However, students should weigh the additional $9,000-10,000 in annual costs against long-term earning potential and career goals.

Where do Texas business graduates find the best entry-level opportunities?

Houston's Texas Medical Center, the world's largest medical complex, actively recruits business graduates for healthcare administration roles. Major employers like HCA Healthcare, Baylor Scott & White, and MD Anderson seek graduates for operations, finance, and project management positions. The energy sector in Houston and Dallas also provides abundant opportunities for business graduates in corporate finance and supply chain management. Regional markets in San Antonio and El Paso offer growing opportunities in international trade and border commerce.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.