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Overall Score: 74.15

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Edinburg, TX http://www.utrgv.edu/
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a very young college – it was created in 2013 and welcomed its first class in fall 2015. UTRGV offers more than 100 programs at various levels, including bachelor's degrees in subjects like addiction studies and marine biology for nearly 25,000 undergraduates. Faculty at UTRGV are dedicated to student success, creativity, research and innovation. As a result, students enjoy a wealth of opportunities; one 2019 class conducted a study analyzing the disaster preparedness of disabled Texans (and then presented the results to local emergency management officials ahead of hurricane season). UTRGV is also home to the Smart Hospital, a 15,000-square-foot simulation center complete with an ICU, emergency room and birthing room. Students here get some serious bang for their buck: UTRGV is ranked #4 for affordability on this year’s Best Colleges list, with an average annual cost of attendance just over $4,500 for students receiving financial aid. Outside of the classroom, students can show off their school spirit by joining the co-ed cheer, dance and mascot teams. UTRGV has more than a dozen sports teams and holds its homecoming festivities in February. The school recently unveiled the look of its mascot, the Vaquero, whose outfit was designed and chosen by students.

Costs

Est. full price 2022-2023
$22,300
% of students who get any grants
84%
Est. price for students who receive aid
$4,700
Average price for low-income students
$2,190

Admissions

Acceptance rate
80%
Median SAT/ACT score
1040/20
SAT/ACT required?
Yes
Undergraduate enrollment
24,900

Financial Aid

% of students with need who get grants
98%
% of need met
71%
% of students who get merit grants
7%
Average merit grant
$2,330

Student Success

Graduation rate
48%
Average time to a degree
4.6 years
Median student debt
$12,981
Early career earnings
$45,900
% earning more than a high school grad
59%

Notes: Students who get merit grants are full-time undergraduates who had no financial need and were awarded grants. Graduation rate measures degree completion within six years for both transfer students and first-time students. Early career earnings are the median earnings for both graduates and non-completers, 10 years after they first enrolled.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, Peterson’s, Money/Witlytic calculations.

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