University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
EDINBURG, TEXAS
University of Central Florida
ORLANDO, FL
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Texas Rio Grande Valley vs Central Florida - US university comparison

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
University of Central Florida
CENTRAL FLORIDA
Orlando, FL
World rank · ARWU#401-500
Acceptance44.71%
Median SAT1260
Graduation rate78%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$58K
🔒 UNDERGRADUATE 🔒 GRADUATE

KEY DATA

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley University of Central Florida
#801-900 World rank · ARWU #401-500
- Rank · THE -
94.2% Acceptance rate 44.71%
985 Median SAT 1260
50.9% Graduation rate 78%
31,864 Enrollment 69,338

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

94.2% Acceptance rate 44.71%
55.4% Yield rate 33.5%
985 Median SAT 1260
- Avg. GPA 4.16
12,137 Number of applications 55,135
1.7% Int'l students 3.3%
$50K Median earnings · 10 yrs $58K
$29K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $39K
$67K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $86K
50.9% Graduation rate 78%
78.9% Retention rate 92.3%
$12,950 Median debt $18,190
$22,287 Tuition · year $24,076
$11,242 Avg. aid package $11,814
72% % of need met 65%
$14,589 Avg. graduate debt $20,529
- Application fee $30
$6,258 Avg. int'l aid $928
At a glance
Central Florida leads in 6 of 11 measured metrics
Acceptance94.2% vs 44.71%
Yield55.4% vs 33.5%
Graduation50.9% vs 78%

The verdict, from the data

A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Central Florida admits 44.7%, Texas Rio Grande Valley admits 94.2%.

The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Central Florida: $58K against $50K.

275 points separate the SAT profiles: 1260 (Central Florida) against 985.

Students admitted to both more often choose Texas Rio Grande Valley (55.4% enrol, against 33.5%).

These numbers describe the cohorts already enrolled, not your chances; treat them as a starting point rather than a forecast.

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

Central Florida is the more selective of the two (44.71% vs 94.2% acceptance). Central Florida ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#801-900 vs #401-500). Central Florida graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($58K vs $50K). Texas Rio Grande Valley has lower sticker-price tuition ($22,287 vs $24,076 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 Rio Grande Valley for: lower tuition, lower graduate debt.

Choose Central Florida for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.

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

BY THE NUMBERS

Admissions

Central Florida is more selective (44.71% vs 94.2% acceptance); Central Florida has a higher median SAT (1260 vs 985).

Graduate outcomes

Central Florida graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($58K vs $50K); Central Florida has a higher 6-year graduation rate (78% vs 50.9%).

Cost and aid

Texas Rio Grande Valley has lower sticker-price tuition ($22,287 vs $24,076); Central Florida offers a larger average aid package ($11,814 vs $11,242).

VALUE LANDSCAPE

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

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric Texas Rio Grande Valley Central Florida
World rank · ARWU#801-900#401-500
Rank · THE--
Acceptance rate94.2%44.71%
Yield rate55.4%33.5%
Median SAT9851260
Avg. GPA-4.16
Number of applications12,13755,135
International students1.7%3.3%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$50K$58K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$29K$39K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$67K$86K
Graduation rate50.9%78%
Retention rate78.9%92.3%
Median debt$12,950$18,190
Tuition · year$22,287$24,076
Avg. aid package$11,242$11,814
% of need met72%65%
Avg. graduate debt$14,589$20,529
Application fee-$30
Enrollment31,86469,338

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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

It's harder to get into Central Florida. Texas Rio Grande Valley accepts 94.2% of applicants, while Central Florida accepts 44.71%.

Do Texas Rio Grande Valley or Central Florida graduates earn more?

Central Florida graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $58K vs $50K.

How much is tuition at Texas Rio Grande Valley vs Central Florida?

Sticker-price tuition is $22,287 per year at Texas Rio Grande Valley and $24,076 per year at Central Florida.

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

The median admitted SAT score is 985 at Texas Rio Grande Valley and 1260 at Central Florida; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.

Which university ranks higher - Texas Rio Grande Valley or Central Florida?

Central Florida ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #801-900 for Texas Rio Grande Valley vs #401-500 for Central Florida.

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

The average aid package is $11,242 at Texas Rio Grande Valley and $11,814 at Central Florida.

Compare Texas Rio Grande Valley 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.