Texas at Austin vs West Virginia - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Texas at Austin admits 26.6% of applicants, while West Virginia admits 89%.
On paper the cheaper option is West Virginia: $28,608 against $44,908, which is $16,300 less a year.
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Texas at Austin: $75K against $56K.
Candidates with higher SAT scores go to Texas at Austin: a midpoint of 1395 against 1110, a difference of 285 points.
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
Texas at Austin is the more selective of the two (26.64% vs 89% acceptance). Texas at Austin ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#45 vs #501-600). Texas at Austin graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($75K vs $56K). West Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,608 vs $44,908 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 Texas at Austin for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
Choose West Virginia for: lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Texas at Austin is more selective (26.64% vs 89% acceptance); Texas at Austin has a higher median SAT (1395 vs 1110).
Texas at Austin graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($75K vs $56K); Texas at Austin has a higher 6-year graduation rate (88.9% vs 64.7%).
West Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,608 vs $44,908); Texas at Austin offers a larger average aid package ($20,219 vs $16,730).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Texas at Austin | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #45 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 26.64% | 89% |
| Yield rate | 47.4% | 26.5% |
| Median SAT | 1395 | 1110 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 3.70 |
| Number of applications | 72,885 | 20,150 |
| International students | 4.5% | 1.7% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $75K | $56K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $51K | $36K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $117K | $84K |
| Graduation rate | 88.9% | 64.7% |
| Retention rate | 96.7% | 83.4% |
| Median debt | $20,500 | $22,500 |
| Tuition · year | $44,908 | $28,608 |
| Avg. aid package | $20,219 | $16,730 |
| % of need met | 75% | 63% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $19,919 | $36,010 |
| Application fee | $75 | $65 |
| Enrollment | 53,864 | 23,643 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Texas at Austin or West Virginia?
It's harder to get into Texas at Austin. Texas at Austin accepts 26.64% of applicants, while West Virginia accepts 89%.
Do Texas at Austin or West Virginia graduates earn more?
Texas at Austin graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $75K vs $56K.
How much is tuition at Texas at Austin vs West Virginia?
Sticker-price tuition is $44,908 per year at Texas at Austin and $28,608 per year at West Virginia.
What SAT score do you need for Texas at Austin or West Virginia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1395 at Texas at Austin and 1110 at West Virginia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Texas at Austin or West Virginia?
Texas at Austin ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #45 for Texas at Austin vs #501-600 for West Virginia.
Which university offers more financial aid - Texas at Austin or West Virginia?
The average aid package is $20,219 at Texas at Austin and $16,730 at West Virginia.
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