Houston vs Temple - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Real money goes to international students at Temple ($16,607 on average), while Houston stops at $4,456.
On paper the cheaper option is Houston: $27,926 against $40,144, which is $12,218 less a year.
The SAT profile is practically identical (1240 against 1250), so a test score will not tip the balance either way.
Neither is international in practice: the share of foreign students does not exceed 5.7%.
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
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
Houston is the more selective of the two (73.92% vs 80.45% acceptance). Houston ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#201-300 vs #401-500). Median earnings 10 years after enrollment are effectively tied ($62K vs $64K). Houston has lower sticker-price tuition ($27,926 vs $40,144 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, higher selectivity, higher retention.
Choose Temple for: higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate, a larger aid package.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Houston is more selective (73.92% vs 80.45% acceptance); Temple has a higher median SAT (1250 vs 1240).
Temple graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($64K vs $62K); Temple has a higher 6-year graduation rate (75% vs 64.6%).
Houston has lower sticker-price tuition ($27,926 vs $40,144); Temple offers a larger average aid package ($17,833 vs $16,450).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Houston | Temple |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #201-300 | #401-500 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 73.92% | 80.45% |
| Yield rate | 26.5% | 15% |
| Median SAT | 1240 | 1250 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.49 | 3.42 |
| Number of applications | 31,716 | 40,817 |
| International students | 5.7% | 4.4% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $62K | $64K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $39K | $41K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $93K | $92K |
| Graduation rate | 64.6% | 75% |
| Retention rate | 87% | 83% |
| Median debt | $18,194 | $24,395 |
| Tuition · year | $27,926 | $40,144 |
| Avg. aid package | $16,450 | $17,833 |
| % of need met | 55.1% | 60.5% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $21,819 | $41,808 |
| Application fee | $75 | $55 |
| Enrollment | 47,980 | 29,637 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Houston or Temple?
It's harder to get into Houston. Houston accepts 73.92% of applicants, while Temple accepts 80.45%.
Do Houston or Temple graduates earn more?
Earnings are practically equal - 10 years after enrollment, the median is $62K at Houston and $64K at Temple.
How much is tuition at Houston vs Temple?
Sticker-price tuition is $27,926 per year at Houston and $40,144 per year at Temple.
What SAT score do you need for Houston or Temple?
The median admitted SAT score is 1240 at Houston and 1250 at Temple; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Houston or Temple?
Houston ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #201-300 for Houston vs #401-500 for Temple.
Which university offers more financial aid - Houston or Temple?
The average aid package is $16,450 at Houston and $17,833 at Temple.
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