Temple vs Houston - 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 (1250 against 1240), 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 (#401-500 vs #201-300). Median earnings 10 years after enrollment are effectively tied ($64K vs $62K). 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 Temple for: higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate, a larger aid package.
Choose Houston for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher retention.
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 | Temple | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #401-500 | #201-300 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 80.45% | 73.92% |
| Yield rate | 15% | 26.5% |
| Median SAT | 1250 | 1240 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.42 | 3.49 |
| Number of applications | 40,817 | 31,716 |
| International students | 4.4% | 5.7% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $64K | $62K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $41K | $39K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $92K | $93K |
| Graduation rate | 75% | 64.6% |
| Retention rate | 83% | 87% |
| Median debt | $24,395 | $18,194 |
| Tuition · year | $40,144 | $27,926 |
| Avg. aid package | $17,833 | $16,450 |
| % of need met | 60.5% | 55.1% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $41,808 | $21,819 |
| Application fee | $55 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 29,637 | 47,980 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Temple or Houston?
It's harder to get into Houston. Temple accepts 80.45% of applicants, while Houston accepts 73.92%.
Do Temple or Houston graduates earn more?
Earnings are practically equal - 10 years after enrollment, the median is $64K at Temple and $62K at Houston.
How much is tuition at Temple vs Houston?
Sticker-price tuition is $40,144 per year at Temple and $27,926 per year at Houston.
What SAT score do you need for Temple or Houston?
The median admitted SAT score is 1250 at Temple and 1240 at Houston; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Temple or Houston?
Houston ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #401-500 for Temple vs #201-300 for Houston.
Which university offers more financial aid - Temple or Houston?
The average aid package is $17,833 at Temple and $16,450 at Houston.
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