Texas State University
Texas State University — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
Texas State University at a Glance
Texas State University (TXST) is a public research university with its main campus in San Marcos, Texas, United States, with additional campuses in Round Rock, Texas, and Querétaro, Mexico. Established in 1899, the university has grown to be the seventh-largest university in Texas. Texas State University reached a record enrollment of 44,596 students for the 2025 fall semester, continuing a trend of enrollment growth over several years.
1899
127 years old
$1.6B
$1.6 billion (FY2025)
44,630
39,415 undergrad · 5,215 grad
517 acres
Identity
Is Texas State University Worth It?
Texas State University offers moderate value at $16,805/year net price. Graduates earn a median of $56,906, which is near the national average. Students should research specific program outcomes before committing.
The investment pays for itself in just 1.2 years — among the fastest payback periods of any college we track.
A 56% graduation rate is a serious red flag — fewer than 6 in 10 students finish. Those who don't graduate may still carry student debt without the higher-earning credential to show for it.
How Texas State University compares to peer public colleges of similar tier in TX
Ranked #27 of 42 on value score. Peers are matched by size, median earnings, SAT, and admission rate — not just geography.
| Rank | College | Value | Net price / yr | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California State University-San Bernardino | 100 | $4,564 | $59,977 |
| #2 | California State University-Fresno | 100 | $7,000 | $61,244 |
| #3 | California State University-Fullerton | 100 | $6,555 | $62,951 |
| #4 | California State University-Los Angeles | 100 | $3,967 | $59,211 |
| #5 | California State University-Northridge | 100 | $7,021 | $59,115 |
| #6 | Santa Ana College | 100 | $3,133 | $43,552 |
| #27 | Texas State University | 47 | $16,805 | $56,906 |
Peer group: public colleges within ±60% of Texas State University's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%). 6 in TX.
Best Programs at Texas State University
The highest-earning program at Texas State University is Construction Engineering Technologies at $64,900/year (4 years after graduation). The lowest is Zoology/Animal Biology at $19,700/year.
Your major matters more than the school name — a Construction Engineering Technologies graduate from Texas State University earns $64,900, while a Zoology/Animal Biology graduate earns $19,700. That's more than a 2× difference from the same institution. Choose your program carefully — it's the single biggest lever you control.
Debt also varies by program: Construction Engineering Technologies graduates carry $20,250 in median debt vs. $27,059 for Zoology/Animal Biology.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $16,805/yr net price × 4 years
Earnings Premium
vs. national average of $53,787/yr
Payback Period
Time to recoup the total cost through higher earnings
10-Year Net Gain
Median earnings over 10 years minus total cost of attendance
Programs & Earnings by Major
Graduate earnings data by field of study (4 years after graduation):
| Major | Earnings (4yr) | Earnings (1yr) | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction Engineering Technologies | $64,900 | $64,900 | $20,250 |
| Computer Science | $64,800 | $64,800 | $17,950 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering | $64,500 | $64,500 | $27,500 |
| Industrial Engineering | $60,500 | $60,500 | $21,500 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $56,900 | $56,900 | $20,386 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $54,400 | $54,400 | $20,000 |
| Manufacturing Engineering | $52,700 | $52,700 | $25,325 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $49,400 | $49,400 | $25,280 |
| Applied Mathematics | $45,500 | $45,500 | $23,750 |
| Marketing | $44,100 | $44,100 | $22,000 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | $43,800 | $43,800 | $17,982 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $43,700 | $43,700 | $21,500 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $43,600 | $43,600 | $21,500 |
| Mathematics | $42,200 | $42,200 | $23,284 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $42,100 | $42,100 | $21,500 |
| Music | $41,300 | $41,300 | $28,379 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $39,800 | $39,800 | $23,772 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $39,700 | $39,700 | $19,000 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $38,600 | $38,600 | $26,845 |
| Dance | $38,400 | $38,400 | $20,250 |
| Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies | $38,300 | $38,300 | $19,916 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $36,100 | $36,100 | $23,480 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $36,100 | $36,100 | $20,734 |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | $36,000 | $36,000 | $20,495 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $35,600 | $35,600 | $24,322 |
| Geography and Cartography | $35,600 | $35,600 | $24,744 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $34,700 | $34,700 | $20,582 |
| Social Work | $34,000 | $34,000 | $22,917 |
| Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management | $33,800 | $33,800 | $21,919 |
| Biology, General | $32,900 | $32,900 | $24,325 |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | $32,500 | $32,500 | $21,800 |
| Health and Physical Education/Fitness | $32,100 | $32,100 | $22,418 |
| City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning | $31,600 | $31,600 | $22,955 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $31,500 | $31,500 | $17,125 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $31,400 | $31,400 | $19,846 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $31,200 | $31,200 | $20,265 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $31,100 | $31,100 | $17,750 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $30,700 | $30,700 | $20,323 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $30,500 | $30,500 | $20,500 |
| Political Science and Government | $30,400 | $30,400 | $21,500 |
| Public Administration | $29,600 | $29,600 | $23,521 |
| Public Health | $29,400 | $29,400 | $24,298 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $28,800 | $28,800 | $20,500 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $28,700 | $28,700 | $21,988 |
| Psychology, General | $28,700 | $28,700 | $21,688 |
| Sociology | $28,700 | $28,700 | $20,750 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $28,000 | $28,000 | $23,548 |
| History | $28,000 | $28,000 | $21,500 |
| International/Global Studies | $27,700 | $27,700 | $21,500 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $26,700 | $26,700 | $20,161 |
| Animal Sciences | $26,400 | $26,400 | $20,685 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $23,900 | $23,900 | $23,460 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $22,600 | $22,600 | $25,000 |
| Anthropology | $22,400 | $22,400 | $22,375 |
| Journalism | $20,500 | $20,500 | $21,824 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | $19,700 | $19,700 | $27,059 |
Similar Colleges in TX
Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- public
- Location
- San Marcos, TX
- Student Body
- 36,177 students
- Admission Rate
- 89%
- Graduation Rate
- 56%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $16,805
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $56,906
- Median Student Debt
- $21,000