Private Nonprofit · Waco, Texas

Baylor University

Baylor University is a private nonprofit institution in Waco, Texas. as a private nonprofit, published Scorecard outcomes cover federal-aid recipients at this campus — endowment and sticker price sit outside those cohort fields.

$65,793
10-yr median earnings
51.3%
Acceptance rate
$41,104
Avg net price / yr
80.1%
150%-time completion

The verdict

Baylor University pairs top-10% former-student earnings with a moderately open admit.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

Top 10%
former-student earnings, US
51.3%
acceptance rate
80.1%
150%-time completion
+16%
earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Midsize Carnegie: R1
View my saved schools

Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

How to read this Baylor University profile

Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.

Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.

Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.

College Value Score

C+
College Value Score
60/100
Baylor University

A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.

Earnings A
$65,793
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price F
$41,104
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate A-
80.1%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$23,000
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment A
81.0%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention A
91.0%
First-year students returning for year two
Baylor University vs. the national benchmark
EarningsNet PriceCompletionDebtRepaymentRetention

Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.

10-yr median earnings

$65,793

Federal aid recipients only

Avg net price

$41,104

After grants and scholarships

150%-time completion

80.1%

Full-time, first-time cohort

150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 80.1%

Four-year-institution cohort

College ROI Quadrant - Baylor University vs peers

Baylor University positioned by earnings vs cost Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 8 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. Baylor University positioned by earnings vs … Carnegie Classification: R1 R1 COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $23K $94K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $11K $43K Avg Net Price ($) Baylor University (you are here): $66K earn · $41K net · 80% grad You are here - Baylor University Texas Christian University: $68K earn · $37K net · 86% grad Texas Christian Un… Southern Methodist University: $78K earn · $41K net · 84% grad Southern Methodist… Rice University: $90K earn · $13K net · 95% grad Rice University University of the Incarnate Word: $57K earn · $23K net · 51% grad University of the … University of St Thomas: $59K earn · $19K net · 69% grad University of St T… Abilene Christian University: $56K earn · $26K net · 60% grad Southern Careers Institute-Waco: $27K earn · $23K net · 47% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.

How Baylor University ranks nationally

Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.

Baylor University: former-student earnings vs. every US college

10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$65,793 Top 10% higher than 90% of 5,103 US colleges

$0–$20,000: 169 US colleges (3%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 2,245 US colleges (44%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 1,897 US colleges (37%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 606 US colleges (12%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 134 US colleges (3%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 39 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 11 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. This college $0 $160,000 every US college, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Metric Baylor University National rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $65,793 #516 of 5103 90th
Average net price $41,104 #4897 of 5020 2nd (lower is better)
150%-time completion 80.1% #716 of 4858 85th
Undergraduate enrollment 14,785 #214 of 5462 96th

National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.

Quick Facts

14,785
Undergraduate enrollment
51.3%
Acceptance rate
1,329
SAT average
80.1%
150%-time completion
$65,793
10-yr median earnings
91.0%
First-year retention

How Baylor University ranks in Texas

State rank among 324 reporting Texas colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.

Metric Baylor University State rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $65,793 #22 of 324 93rd
Average net price $41,104 #338 of 340 1st (lower is better)
150%-time completion 80.1% #39 of 324 88th
Undergraduate enrollment 14,785 #24 of 366 93rd

Highest former-student earnings in Texas

Admissions

Admission Rate 51.3%
SAT Average 1,329
SAT Math (25th-75th) 590 – 700
SAT Reading (25th-75th) 610 – 700
ACT Average 29
ACT (25th-75th) 27 – 32
0%100%51.3%
Share of applicants admitted

Costs & Financial Aid

Net price by family income at Baylor University

Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket

net price / yr

What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Baylor University - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $58,100
Out-of-State Tuition $58,100
Average Net Price $41,104
12.4%
Pell Grant Rate
31.2%
Federal Loan Rate
$23,000
Median Debt
$244/mo
Monthly Payment

What students pay at Baylor University rose +29.7% since 2013

Average net price for the reported Title IV-recipient cohort went from $32,333 in 2013 to $41,942 in 2023, a rise of $9,609 in nominal dollars. Across the 4,315 colleges measured over the same 2013–2023 span, the median change was +14.6%.

Average net price, 2013–2023

11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

2013: $32,3332014: $32,7412015: $32,6572016: $33,4772017: $34,8982018: $32,6012019: $36,0392020: $37,3092021: $37,2482022: $37,9112023: $41,942
2013 · $32,3332023 · $41,942

Over the same years, enrollment went +13.5% (13,221 → 15,007 students).

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.

Student Demographics

Race & ethnicity

Student body at a glance

60.3%
Female
17.1%
First Generation

Outcomes

91.0%
Retention Rate
$56,532
Median Earnings (6yr)
76.1%
Earning Over $25K
81.0%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)

Outcomes & debt snapshot

Measure Cohort / horizon Value
Completion within 150% of normal time First-time, full-time 80.1%
First-year retention First-time, full-time freshmen 91.0%
Median earnings 6 years after entry $56,532
Median earnings 10 years after entry $65,793
Share earning over $25,000 Working, not enrolled 76.1%
Loan repayment rate Completers, 3 years after leaving 81.0%
Median federal student debt At completion $23,000
Estimated monthly payment Standard 10-year plan $244/mo

Programs & Earnings

Field-of-study summary by credential

Credential Programs Award count Avg earnings Top earnings Avg debt
Bachelor's 53 3,458 $70,524 $128,411 $23,388
Master's 12 949 $71,029 $130,178 $37,999
Doctoral 3 22 $121,715 $121,715 $154,259

Top programs at Baylor University by completer earnings

Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file

median earnings

What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Business Administration, Management and Operations Master's 261 $130,178 $54,384
Computer Science Bachelor's 18 $128,411 $27,000
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations Bachelor's 28 $125,167 $20,500
Business/Commerce, General Bachelor's 60 $124,434 $15,000
Law Doctoral - $121,715 $172,756
Accounting and Related Services Master's 83 $109,055 $22,056
Finance and Financial Management Services Bachelor's 181 $102,812 $21,500
Accounting and Related Services Bachelor's 148 $102,011 $20,495
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Bachelor's - $100,110 $21,500
Management Information Systems and Services Bachelor's 134 $96,148 $23,000
Real Estate Bachelor's 5 $94,027 $20,500
Mechanical Engineering Bachelor's 65 $92,990 $26,096
Mathematics Bachelor's 24 $89,618 $24,512
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's 317 $89,510 $22,362
Human Resources Management and Services Bachelor's 30 $89,102 $20,475

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Baylor University?
Baylor University is a private nonprofit institution in Waco, Texas. The acceptance rate is 51.3%. The average SAT score is 1,329. Undergraduate enrollment is 14,785 students.
How much do Baylor University former students earn?
Federally aided former students at Baylor University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $65,793 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $56,532.
How much does Baylor University cost?
The average net price at Baylor University is $41,104. In-state tuition is $58,100 and out-of-state tuition is $58,100. Median student debt at graduation is $23,000.
What is the graduation rate at Baylor University?
Baylor University has a 80.1% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 91.0%.
Is Baylor University worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Baylor University is $23,000, while former students earn a median of $65,793 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 35% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 81.0% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $244.

Sources & methodology

Private-nonprofit profiles emphasize Scorecard cost-after-aid and completion alongside IPEDS Carnegie class. Endowment, gifts, and sticker price are not Scorecard fields on this page.

Figures are the Mar–Jul 2026 federal retrievals. Nonprofit campuses vary widely in aid practice — net price here is the Title-IV-recipient cohort average, not an individual award letter. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Where to go next from Baylor University

Nonprofit Scorecard medians describe federal-aid recipients who were working and not enrolled — they are not sticker-price ROI and not advice.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Private-nonprofit profiles compile Scorecard net-price and earnings cohorts with IPEDS structure fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.