Texas Rio Grande Valley vs Old Dominion - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Real money goes to international students at Old Dominion ($16,000 on average), while Texas Rio Grande Valley stops at $6,258.
The cheaper tuition belongs to Texas Rio Grande Valley: $22,287 against $33,885, or $11,598 less a year.
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Old Dominion: $55K against $50K.
212 points separate the SAT profiles: 1197 (Old Dominion) against 985.
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
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
Old Dominion is the more selective of the two (90.4% vs 94.2% acceptance). Old Dominion graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($55K vs $50K). Texas Rio Grande Valley has lower sticker-price tuition ($22,287 vs $33,885 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: a higher graduation rate, higher retention, lower tuition.
Choose Old Dominion for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a larger aid package.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Old Dominion is more selective (90.4% vs 94.2% acceptance); Old Dominion has a higher median SAT (1197 vs 985).
Old Dominion graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($55K vs $50K); Texas Rio Grande Valley has a higher 6-year graduation rate (50.9% vs 46.3%).
Texas Rio Grande Valley has lower sticker-price tuition ($22,287 vs $33,885); Old Dominion offers a larger average aid package ($30,437 vs $11,242).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Texas Rio Grande Valley | Old Dominion |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #801-900 | #801-900 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 94.2% | 90.4% |
| Yield rate | 55.4% | 19.9% |
| Median SAT | 985 | 1197 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 3.45 |
| Number of applications | 12,137 | 15,100 |
| International students | 1.7% | 1.3% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $50K | $55K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $29K | $37K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $67K | $80K |
| Graduation rate | 50.9% | 46.3% |
| Retention rate | 78.9% | 77% |
| Median debt | $12,950 | $24,000 |
| Tuition · year | $22,287 | $33,885 |
| Avg. aid package | $11,242 | $30,437 |
| % of need met | 72% | 53% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $14,589 | $32,043 |
| Application fee | - | $50 |
| Enrollment | 31,864 | 23,743 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Texas Rio Grande Valley or Old Dominion?
It's harder to get into Old Dominion. Texas Rio Grande Valley accepts 94.2% of applicants, while Old Dominion accepts 90.4%.
Do Texas Rio Grande Valley or Old Dominion graduates earn more?
Old Dominion graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $55K vs $50K.
How much is tuition at Texas Rio Grande Valley vs Old Dominion?
Sticker-price tuition is $22,287 per year at Texas Rio Grande Valley and $33,885 per year at Old Dominion.
What SAT score do you need for Texas Rio Grande Valley or Old Dominion?
The median admitted SAT score is 985 at Texas Rio Grande Valley and 1197 at Old Dominion; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university offers more financial aid - Texas Rio Grande Valley or Old Dominion?
The average aid package is $11,242 at Texas Rio Grande Valley and $30,437 at Old Dominion.
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