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Rice University breaks the mold for health sciences affordability in Texas, offering a net price of just $12,640 despite its $58,128 sticker price through generous financial aid packages. This places the elite Houston institution surprisingly within reach compared to some public alternatives that cost nearly $20,000 annually. Texas health sciences students benefit from the state's massive medical infrastructure, with Houston's Texas Medical Center alone employing over 120,000 people across 60 institutions. The most affordable option, Texas Southmost College in Brownsville, charges just $5,458 net price, creating an enormous $14,276 cost gap between the cheapest and most expensive programs. Public universities dominate the affordable market, with 14 of the 15 lowest-cost programs coming from state institutions. Graduates enter a job market where major employers like HCA Healthcare, Baylor Scott & White, and MD Anderson actively recruit across multiple health disciplines, from medical technology to health administration.
28
Programs
$5,458 – $25,491
Net Price Range
$31,424
Avg. Program Earnings
49.5%
Avg. Graduation Rate

28 Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General Programs

Program rankings
# School Net Price In-State Tuition Graduation Rate Acceptance Rate
1 $5,458 $3,148 26.8%
2 $6,500 $9,859 49.3% 87.7%
3 $8,624 $7,499 26.5% 82.1%
4 $10,948 $8,648 44.2% 93.6%
5 $11,234 $8,991 51.2% 86.9%
6 $11,268 $10,026 45.9% 86.5%
7 $11,429 $8,690 37.2% 83.7%
8 $12,640 $58,128 95.7% 8.7%
9 $12,915 $8,319 40.7% 79.1%
10 $13,853 $9,711 64.9% 66.2%
11 $13,931 $9,920 46.8% 93.9%
12 $14,041 $11,299 43.2% 76.1%
13 $15,137 $9,748 33.7% 88.0%
14 $15,152 $10,600 51.7% 89.5%
15 $16,025 $9,228 55.1% 84.6%
16 $16,438 $11,450 56.2% 87.7%
17 $17,435 $14,564 70.8% 84.7%
18 $19,678 $11,678 87.6% 31.4%
19 $19,710 $38,100 49.8% 84.5%
20 $19,734 $9,173 19.9% 96.8%
21 $19,988 $31,372 38.6% 56.5%
22 $20,244 $13,498 38.1% 57.3%
23 $20,498 $35,660 51.8% 94.2%
24 $20,841 $9,101 47.3% 91.6%
25 $20,924 $13,099 83.8% 62.7%
26 $23,790 $30,050 48.0% 67.7%
27 $24,532 $18,238 9.1%
28 $25,491 $17,457 71.8%

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Rice University surprisingly affordable for health sciences students?

Rice University offers a net price of $12,640 despite charging $58,128 in tuition, making it cheaper than several public universities on this list. The private Houston institution achieves this through substantial financial aid, with 95.7% of students completing their degrees. Rice accepts only 8.68% of applicants, but those who enroll benefit from both academic excellence and financial accessibility that rivals state schools.

How do graduation rates vary among the most affordable programs?

Graduation rates span from 26.5% at University of Houston-Victoria to 95.7% at Rice University, showing dramatic differences in student outcomes. Texas Woman's University maintains a solid 44.2% rate while charging $10,948 net price and producing graduates earning $35,740 annually. The University of Texas at San Antonio achieves a 51.2% graduation rate with strong job placement in the San Antonio medical corridor.

Is financial aid significantly different between public and private health sciences programs?

Public universities typically charge between $3,148 and $11,299 in-state tuition, while Rice University demonstrates how private school aid can compete at $12,640 net cost. Texas state residents benefit from programs like the TEXAS Grant and Texas Tomorrow Fund, which primarily support public institution attendance. The data shows that effective financial aid can make private education competitive with public alternatives in health sciences.

What earning potential exists for graduates from these affordable programs?

Health sciences graduates from these programs earn between $21,964 and $35,740 annually, with Texas Woman's University leading earnings at $35,740 despite charging only $10,948 net price. The University of Texas at Tyler produces graduates earning $34,348 while maintaining reasonable debt levels of $18,625. These earnings reflect entry-level positions in Texas's expansive healthcare sector, which includes opportunities at over 600 hospitals statewide.

Where do the geographic clusters of affordable programs offer the best job prospects?

Houston area schools benefit from proximity to the Texas Medical Center, the world's largest medical complex employing over 120,000 people. San Antonio programs connect students to major health systems like University Health and the military medical infrastructure. The Rio Grande Valley schools serve a growing Hispanic population with significant healthcare needs, creating strong regional employment opportunities for bilingual health services graduates.

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