Cheapest Political Science and Government Colleges in Texas

Texas A&M University-Central Texas offers the state's most affordable political science education at just $1,113 net cost, creating an extraordinary opportunity gap compared to other programs. This massive cost difference becomes even more striking when considering that graduates across Texas political science programs earn between $21,850 and $50,231 annually. The state's political market provides substantial career pathways, with Austin serving as both the state capital and home to numerous lobbying firms, policy organizations, and government agencies. Texas employs thousands of political professionals across its 254 counties, more than any other state. Public universities dominate the affordable options, with 14 of the 15 cheapest programs being state institutions. Acceptance rates vary dramatically, from Texas A&M International's selective 47.88% to UT El Paso's nearly universal 99.92% acceptance rate. Students can expect graduation rates ranging from Texas College's concerning 10.7% to UT San Antonio's solid 51.2%, highlighting the importance of choosing programs with strong support systems alongside low costs.

Programs

$1,113 – $22,240

Net Price Range

$33,702

Avg. Program Earnings

46.6%

Avg. Graduation Rate

50 Political Science and Government Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	Texas A&M University-Central Texas Killeen, Texas	$1,113	$6,627		95.7%
2	Texas A & M International University Laredo, Texas	$3,061	$7,846	48.9%	47.9%
3	Texas Southmost College Brownsville, Texas	$5,458	$3,148	26.8%
4	The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, Texas	$6,500	$9,859	49.3%	87.7%
5	University of North Texas at Dallas Dallas, Texas	$8,376	$9,590	43.8%	93.6%
6	University of Houston-Victoria Victoria, Texas	$8,624	$7,499	26.5%	82.1%
7	The University of Texas Permian Basin Odessa, Texas	$9,144	$10,904	43.0%	94.7%
8	Texas A & M University-Kingsville Kingsville, Texas	$10,204	$9,892	45.6%	96.6%
9	Texas College Tyler, Texas	$10,650	$10,008	10.7%
10	The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, Texas	$10,726	$9,744	45.9%	99.9%
11	Texas Woman's University Denton, Texas	$10,948	$8,648	44.2%	93.6%
12	Sul Ross State University Alpine, Texas	$10,991	$7,592	27.4%	97.1%
13	The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, Texas	$11,234	$8,991	51.2%	86.9%
14	Texas A & M University-Commerce Commerce, Texas	$11,268	$10,026	45.9%	86.5%
15	Lamar University Beaumont, Texas	$11,429	$8,690	37.2%	83.7%
16	Midwestern State University Wichita Falls, Texas	$11,882	$10,310	41.3%	92.4%
17	Texas A&M University-Texarkana Texarkana, Texas	$12,637	$7,930	31.2%	91.5%
18	Rice University Houston, Texas	$12,640	$58,128	95.7%	8.7%
19	Angelo State University San Angelo, Texas	$12,915	$8,319	40.7%	79.1%
20	Texas A&M University-San Antonio San Antonio, Texas	$13,220	$9,548	29.4%	96.1%
21	University of Houston Houston, Texas	$13,853	$9,711	64.9%	66.2%
22	The University of Texas at Tyler Tyler, Texas	$13,931	$9,920	46.8%	93.9%
23	Prairie View A & M University Prairie View, Texas	$14,041	$11,299	43.2%	76.1%
24	University of North Texas Denton, Texas	$14,352	$11,164	59.6%	79.1%
25	University of Houston-Downtown Houston, Texas	$14,623	$7,708	33.8%	88.4%
26	Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, Texas	$15,137	$9,748	33.7%	88.0%
27	Stephen F Austin State University Nacogdoches, Texas	$15,152	$10,600	51.7%	89.5%
28	The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, Texas	$15,235	$11,728	56.5%	80.8%
29	Sam Houston State University Huntsville, Texas	$16,025	$9,228	55.1%	84.6%
30	Texas State University San Marcos, Texas	$16,438	$11,450	56.2%	87.7%
31	The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, Texas	$17,435	$14,564	70.8%	84.7%
32	Our Lady of the Lake University San Antonio, Texas	$17,760	$31,728	42.4%
33	University of St Thomas Houston, Texas	$18,762	$33,660	68.6%	96.7%
34	Texas Wesleyan University Fort Worth, Texas	$19,398	$37,934	32.4%	60.9%
35	The University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas	$19,678	$11,678	87.6%	31.4%
36	Houston Christian University Houston, Texas	$19,710	$38,100	49.8%	84.5%
37	Texas Southern University Houston, Texas	$19,734	$9,173	19.9%	96.8%
38	Huston-Tillotson University Austin, Texas	$19,847	$14,703	36.1%	51.9%
39	McMurry University Abilene, Texas	$19,988	$31,372	38.6%	56.5%
40	Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas	$20,071	$11,852	67.5%	67.3%
41	Paul Quinn College Dallas, Texas	$20,244	$13,498	38.1%	57.3%
42	Tarleton State University Stephenville, Texas	$20,261	$7,878	51.2%	87.1%
43	Schreiner University Kerrville, Texas	$20,410	$37,396	43.7%	85.2%
44	University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio, Texas	$20,498	$35,660	51.8%	94.2%
45	Wayland Baptist University Plainview, Texas	$20,540	$23,186	19.2%	69.7%
46	West Texas A & M University Canyon, Texas	$20,841	$9,101	47.3%	91.6%
47	Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, Texas	$20,924	$13,099	83.8%	62.7%
48	Hardin-Simmons University Abilene, Texas	$21,031	$31,686	49.6%	88.3%
49	St. Mary's University San Antonio, Texas	$21,352	$36,242	58.8%	86.2%
50	Concordia University Texas Austin, Texas	$22,240	$36,690	40.5%	85.7%

Frequently Asked Questions

What explains the $12,000+ cost difference between the cheapest and most expensive programs?

Texas A&M-Central Texas at $1,113 represents an extreme outlier in affordability compared to programs like those costing over $13,000. Public universities receive state funding that significantly reduces net costs for in-state students. Private institutions like Texas College lack this state support, resulting in higher net costs even with financial aid. Geographic location also impacts costs, with rural campuses typically offering lower living expenses.

How do graduation rates correlate with program costs in Texas political science programs?

Higher graduation rates don't necessarily follow higher costs in Texas political science programs. UT San Antonio achieves the highest graduation rate at 51.2% while maintaining a moderate $11,234 net cost. Conversely, Texas College charges $10,650 but graduates only 10.7% of students. Texas Southmost College costs just $5,458 but graduates 26.8% of students, showing that affordable options can still provide reasonable completion rates.

Where do Texas political science graduates typically find employment after graduation?

Texas political science graduates often work in Austin's extensive government sector, which employs thousands across state agencies and legislative offices. Houston's corporate sector offers lobbying and regulatory compliance positions, while Dallas provides opportunities in campaign management and political consulting. The state's 254 counties create numerous local government positions. Many graduates also pursue law school, with Texas hosting several major law schools that recruit heavily from in-state political science programs.

Does attending a more expensive program guarantee better post-graduation earnings?

Earnings data reveals mixed results across Texas political science programs regardless of cost. UT San Antonio graduates earn $32,772 annually despite moderate program costs, while UT Rio Grande Valley graduates earn just $21,850. Texas A&M International and Kingsville both report $29,685 graduate earnings despite different cost structures. Geographic location and alumni networks often matter more than program price for determining post-graduation salary potential.

Is financial aid availability consistent across Texas public universities for political science students?

Financial aid varies significantly even among public institutions in Texas. Schools like Texas A&M-Central Texas offer strong net costs through generous state and institutional aid packages. The TEXAS Grant program helps in-state students across public universities, but individual school endowments create different aid levels. Students should compare net costs rather than sticker prices, as schools like UT Permian Basin show higher in-state tuition but reasonable net costs after aid.

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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.