University of Rochester
ROCHESTER, NY
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
EDINBURG, TEXAS
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Rochester vs Texas Rio Grande Valley - US university comparison

University of Rochester
ROCHESTER
Rochester, NY
World rank · ARWU#151-200
Acceptance40.08%
Median SAT1470
Graduation rate85.4%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$79K
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY
Edinburg, Texas
World rank · ARWU#801-900
Acceptance94.2%
Median SAT985
Graduation rate50.9%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$50K
🔒 UNDERGRADUATE 🔒 GRADUATE

KEY DATA

University of Rochester University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
#151-200 World rank · ARWU #801-900
#127 Rank · THE -
40.08% Acceptance rate 94.2%
1470 Median SAT 985
85.4% Graduation rate 50.9%
11,946 Enrollment 31,864

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

40.08% Acceptance rate 94.2%
15.4% Yield rate 55.4%
1470 Median SAT 985
3.72 Avg. GPA -
21,384 Number of applications 12,137
22.1% Int'l students 1.7%
$79K Median earnings · 10 yrs $50K
$50K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $29K
$117K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $67K
85.4% Graduation rate 50.9%
90.7% Retention rate 78.9%
$21,000 Median debt $12,950
$70,284 Tuition · year $22,287
$60,879 Avg. aid package $11,242
96.1% % of need met 72%
$32,304 Avg. graduate debt $14,589
$50 Application fee -
$41,269 Avg. int'l aid $6,258
At a glance
Rochester leads in 7 of 11 measured metrics
Aid$60,879 vs $11,242
Yield15.4% vs 55.4%
Tuition$70,284 vs $22,287

The verdict, from the data

The lower acceptance rate belongs to Rochester: 40.1% against 94.2% (Texas Rio Grande Valley).

The share of international students differs sharply: 22.1% (Rochester) against 1.7% (Texas Rio Grande Valley).

For an applicant from outside the US the difference is financial: Rochester awards international students $41,269 on average, Texas Rio Grande Valley awards $6,258.

The tuition gap is $47,997 a year: $22,287 (Texas Rio Grande Valley) against $70,284.

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

Rochester is the more selective of the two (40.08% vs 94.2% acceptance). Rochester ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#151-200 vs #801-900). Rochester graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($79K vs $50K). Texas Rio Grande Valley has lower sticker-price tuition ($22,287 vs $70,284 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 Rochester for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.

Choose Texas Rio Grande Valley for: lower tuition, lower graduate debt.

College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.

BY THE NUMBERS

Admissions

Rochester is more selective (40.08% vs 94.2% acceptance); Rochester has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 985).

Graduate outcomes

Rochester graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($79K vs $50K); Rochester has a higher 6-year graduation rate (85.4% vs 50.9%).

Cost and aid

Texas Rio Grande Valley has lower sticker-price tuition ($22,287 vs $70,284); Rochester offers a larger average aid package ($60,879 vs $11,242).

VALUE LANDSCAPE

$35k$76k$117k$158k$11k$35k$59k$83kRochesterTexas Rio Grande Valley TUITION · YEAR → MEDIAN EARNINGS · 10 YRS →
Each dot is a comparable US university; Rochester and Texas Rio Grande Valley highlighted. Up and to the left = better value ratio.

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric Rochester Texas Rio Grande Valley
World rank · ARWU#151-200#801-900
Rank · THE#127-
Acceptance rate40.08%94.2%
Yield rate15.4%55.4%
Median SAT1470985
Avg. GPA3.72-
Number of applications21,38412,137
International students22.1%1.7%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$79K$50K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$50K$29K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$117K$67K
Graduation rate85.4%50.9%
Retention rate90.7%78.9%
Median debt$21,000$12,950
Tuition · year$70,284$22,287
Avg. aid package$60,879$11,242
% of need met96.1%72%
Avg. graduate debt$32,304$14,589
Application fee$50-
Enrollment11,94631,864

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is it harder to get into Rochester or Texas Rio Grande Valley?

It's harder to get into Rochester. Rochester accepts 40.08% of applicants, while Texas Rio Grande Valley accepts 94.2%.

Do Rochester or Texas Rio Grande Valley graduates earn more?

Rochester graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $79K vs $50K.

How much is tuition at Rochester vs Texas Rio Grande Valley?

Sticker-price tuition is $70,284 per year at Rochester and $22,287 per year at Texas Rio Grande Valley.

What SAT score do you need for Rochester or Texas Rio Grande Valley?

The median admitted SAT score is 1470 at Rochester and 985 at Texas Rio Grande Valley; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.

Which university ranks higher - Rochester or Texas Rio Grande Valley?

Rochester ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #151-200 for Rochester vs #801-900 for Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Which university offers more financial aid - Rochester or Texas Rio Grande Valley?

The average aid package is $60,879 at Rochester and $11,242 at Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Compare Rochester with
Harvard Stanford Massachusetts Institute of Technology Princeton Yale Cornell Penn Johns Hopkins Washington University Northwestern
Highest-ranked in ARWU. Click "↻ Change university" in the cards above to choose from all 47 universities (+35).
All metrics come 100% from College Council Atlas (canonical) - admissions, SAT, GPA, graduate outcomes, financial aid and costs from IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25; rankings from ARWU 2024 and THE 2025. Zero manual fields. "-" = not yet in canonical.