Houston vs Georgia - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Georgia admits 37.9% of applicants, while Houston admits 73.9%.
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only Houston reports aid for international students ($4,456 on average), Georgia does not.
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Georgia: $69K against $62K.
The higher mid-range SAT belongs to Georgia: 1300 against 1240, a gap of 60 points.
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Georgia is the more selective of the two (37.92% vs 73.92% acceptance). Houston ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#201-300 vs #401-500). Georgia graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($69K vs $62K). Houston has lower sticker-price tuition ($27,926 vs $31,678 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Houston for: a higher world ranking, lower tuition, a larger aid package.
Choose Georgia for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Georgia is more selective (37.92% vs 73.92% acceptance); Georgia has a higher median SAT (1300 vs 1240).
Georgia graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($69K vs $62K); Georgia has a higher 6-year graduation rate (89.7% vs 64.6%).
Houston has lower sticker-price tuition ($27,926 vs $31,678); Houston offers a larger average aid package ($16,450 vs $15,348).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Houston | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #201-300 | #401-500 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 73.92% | 37.92% |
| Yield rate | 26.5% | 38.3% |
| Median SAT | 1240 | 1300 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.49 | 4.15 |
| Number of applications | 31,716 | 42,436 |
| International students | 5.7% | 1.1% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $62K | $69K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $39K | $45K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $93K | $102K |
| Graduation rate | 64.6% | 89.7% |
| Retention rate | 87% | 94.3% |
| Median debt | $18,194 | $18,500 |
| Tuition · year | $27,926 | $31,678 |
| Avg. aid package | $16,450 | $15,348 |
| % of need met | 55.1% | 73.2% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $21,819 | $20,890 |
| Application fee | $75 | $70 |
| Enrollment | 47,980 | 43,146 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Houston or Georgia?
It's harder to get into Georgia. Houston accepts 73.92% of applicants, while Georgia accepts 37.92%.
Do Houston or Georgia graduates earn more?
Georgia graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $69K vs $62K.
How much is tuition at Houston vs Georgia?
Sticker-price tuition is $27,926 per year at Houston and $31,678 per year at Georgia.
What SAT score do you need for Houston or Georgia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1240 at Houston and 1300 at Georgia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Houston or Georgia?
Houston ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #201-300 for Houston vs #401-500 for Georgia.
Which university offers more financial aid - Houston or Georgia?
The average aid package is $16,450 at Houston and $15,348 at Georgia.
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