Public · Stephenville, Texas

Tarleton State University

Tarleton State University is a public institution in Stephenville, Texas. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.

$20,783
Avg net price / yr
$53,040
10-yr median earnings
49.6%
150%-time completion
89.5%
Acceptance rate

The verdict

Tarleton State University pairs top-quartile former-student earnings with open admission.

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

Top 24%
former-student earnings, US
89.5%
acceptance rate
49.6%
150%-time completion
+14%
earnings, 6→10 yrs
Town: Remote Carnegie: R2
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Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

How to read this Tarleton State 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: 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

D
College Value Score
49/100
Tarleton State 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 B+
$53,040
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price F
$20,783
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate F
49.6%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$19,606
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment B-
69.5%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention F
69.8%
First-year students returning for year two
Tarleton State 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

$53,040

Federal aid recipients only

Avg net price

$20,783

After grants and scholarships

150%-time completion

49.6%

Full-time, first-time cohort

150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 49.6%

Four-year-institution cohort

College ROI Quadrant - Tarleton State University vs peers

Tarleton State 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. Tarleton State University positioned by earn… Carnegie Classification: R2 R2 COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $30K $56K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $3K $22K Avg Net Price ($) Tarleton State University (you are here): $53K earn · $21K net · 50% grad You are here - Tarleton State Uni… University of Houston-Downtown: $54K earn · $11K net · 33% grad University of Hous… St Philip's College: $38K earn · $4K net · 28% grad St Philip's College Northwest Vista College: $42K earn · $5K net · 32% grad Northwest Vista Co… East Texas A&M University: $50K earn · $12K net · 44% grad East Texas A&M Uni… Blinn College District: $46K earn · $11K net · 11% grad Blinn College Dist… Del Mar College: $39K earn · $3K net · 12% grad Ranger College: $36K earn · $6K net · 27% 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 Tarleton State 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.

Tarleton State University: former-student earnings vs. every US college

10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$53,040 Top 24% higher than 76% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 606 US colleges (12%). Above this entry. $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 Tarleton State University National rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $53,040 #1241 of 5103 76th
Average net price $20,783 #3246 of 5020 35th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 49.6% #3014 of 4858 38th
Undergraduate enrollment 12,673 #255 of 5462 95th

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

Quick Facts

12,673
Undergraduate enrollment
89.5%
Acceptance rate
1,075
SAT average
49.6%
150%-time completion
$53,040
10-yr median earnings
69.8%
First-year retention

How Tarleton State University ranks in Texas

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

Metric Tarleton State University State rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $53,040 #66 of 324 80th
Average net price $20,783 #217 of 340 36th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 49.6% #201 of 324 38th
Undergraduate enrollment 12,673 #27 of 366 93rd

Highest former-student earnings in Texas

Admissions

Admission Rate 89.5%
SAT Average 1,075
SAT Math (25th-75th) 480 – 570
SAT Reading (25th-75th) 500 – 590
ACT Average 20
ACT (25th-75th) 19 – 24
0%100%89.6%
Share of applicants admitted

Costs & Financial Aid

Net price by family income at Tarleton State 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 Tarleton State 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 $8,302
Out-of-State Tuition $18,142
Average Net Price $20,783
34.4%
Pell Grant Rate
40.0%
Federal Loan Rate
$19,606
Median Debt
$208/mo
Monthly Payment

What students pay at Tarleton State University rose +35.3% since 2013

Average net price for the reported Title IV-recipient cohort went from $14,978 in 2013 to $20,261 in 2023, a rise of $5,283 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: $14,9782014: $15,2102015: $15,3642016: $15,7402017: $17,5762018: $17,7072019: $18,9792020: $20,3072021: $19,1512022: $19,5752023: $20,261
2013 · $14,9782023 · $20,261

Over the same years, enrollment went +8.3% (11,328 → 12,263 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

64.6%
Female
42.1%
First Generation

Outcomes

69.8%
Retention Rate
$46,729
Median Earnings (6yr)
69.3%
Earning Over $25K
69.5%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)

Outcomes & debt snapshot

Measure Cohort / horizon Value
Completion within 150% of normal time First-time, full-time 49.6%
First-year retention First-time, full-time freshmen 69.8%
Median earnings 6 years after entry $46,729
Median earnings 10 years after entry $53,040
Share earning over $25,000 Working, not enrolled 69.3%
Loan repayment rate Completers, 3 years after leaving 69.5%
Median federal student debt At completion $19,606
Estimated monthly payment Standard 10-year plan $208/mo

Programs & Earnings

Field-of-study summary by credential

Credential Programs Award count Avg earnings Top earnings Avg debt
Bachelor's 34 2,309 $60,201 $102,423 $20,175
Master's 18 518 $71,378 $111,578 $28,040
Doctoral 1 36 $96,825 $96,825 -
Associate's 1 25 $69,606 $69,606 $13,180

Top programs at Tarleton State 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
Information Science/Studies Master's 14 $111,578 -
Computer Science Bachelor's 13 $102,423 -
Educational Administration and Supervision Doctoral 36 $96,825 -
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Master's 5 $94,823 -
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's 168 $89,677 $23,250
Accounting and Related Services Master's 14 $87,838 $26,281
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians Bachelor's 52 $87,678 $18,750
Business Administration, Management and Operations Master's 138 $86,431 $25,909
Public Administration Master's 20 $83,252 $35,697
Human Resources Management and Services Master's 60 $81,088 $29,765
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions Bachelor's 33 $81,042 $16,473
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians Bachelor's 14 $77,044 $20,000
Computer and Information Sciences, General Bachelor's 23 $76,980 $20,500
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions Associate's 25 $69,606 $13,180
Accounting and Related Services Bachelor's 84 $68,031 $19,500

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Tarleton State University?
Tarleton State University is a public institution in Stephenville, Texas. The acceptance rate is 89.5%. The average SAT score is 1,075. Undergraduate enrollment is 12,673 students.
How much do Tarleton State University former students earn?
Federally aided former students at Tarleton State University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $53,040 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $46,729.
How much does Tarleton State University cost?
The average net price at Tarleton State University is $20,783. In-state tuition is $8,302 and out-of-state tuition is $18,142. Median student debt at graduation is $19,606.
What is the graduation rate at Tarleton State University?
Tarleton State University has a 49.6% 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 69.8%.
Is Tarleton State University worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Tarleton State University is $19,606, while former students earn a median of $53,040 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 37% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 69.5% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $208.

Sources & methodology

Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.

Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Where to go next from Tarleton State University

Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.

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. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage 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.