Texas Southern University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Texas Southern University charges a net price of $16,590/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $66,360. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,924, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Texas Southern University does not clear its cost — it ranks #134 of 213 Texas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $16,590/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $66,360 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,924 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,436/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $29,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$255,080 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Texas Southern University's own numbers. Net price $16,590 × 4 years = $66,360 total. Median earnings $38,924 fall $9,436 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $66,360 bill in about 6.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Texas Southern University students graduate with?
A median $29,000 in federal loans among completers, or 75% of the $38,924 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Texas Southern University students graduate?
22% finish their degree — 78% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $66,360 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $301,636 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Texas Southern University expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $16,590 net price runs $2,769 below the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, and $11,076 less across the full degree.