Best College ROI in Tx 2026
113 colleges in Tx analyzed for return on investment. Collin County Community College District leads with a ROI Score of 100/100 (STRONG BUY).
Tx has 113 colleges tracked in the Department of Education's College Scorecard, split between 52 public institutions and 61 private ones. Across the 113 schools with enough data to score, graduates of the top-paying major at each school carry a median federal debt of $24K and earn $82K in their first year out — the gap that determines whether a degree pays back.
94% of Tx colleges earn an A or B on the ROI Score, with the rest landing at C or below. First-year earnings top out at Collin County Community College District (median $95K on Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management). The lowest median debt comes from Strayer University-Texas at $4K.
All numbers come from the latest College Scorecard release, which tracks outcomes for federal financial aid recipients only — graduates who paid cash or used private loans aren't in this dataset, so actual median debt at high-income schools may be lower than shown. The ROI Score weights debt-to-income (35%), earnings premium (25%), BLS job outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), and debt vs. national average (10%).
Top 3 Best ROI Colleges in Tx
Collin County Community College District
Public · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Tops Tx's ROI rankings on its Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management program. Graduates earn a median $95K in their first year against $12K in median debt.
Strayer University-Texas
Private · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Second-best ROI in the state, driven by Computer and Information Sciences. Five-year median earnings: $147K.
Huston-Tillotson University
Private · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Third on the ROI Score with Computer and Information Sciences. Graduation rate 10000%, debt $15K.
Top 20 Colleges by ROI in Tx
| # | School | Best Major | Median Debt | 1yr Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Collin County Community College District(public) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $12K | $95K | A (100) |
| 2 | Strayer University-Texas(private) | Computer and Information Sciences | $4K | $95K | A (100) |
| 3 | Huston-Tillotson University(private) | Computer and Information Sciences | $15K | $95K | A (98) |
| 4 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley(public) | Computer Science | $16K | $95K | A (98) |
| 5 | Angelo State University(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 6 | Howard Payne University(private) | Computer and Information Sciences | $21K | $95K | A (96) |
| 7 | Lone Star College System(public) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $21K | $95K | A (96) |
| 8 | North American University(private) | Computer Science | $19K | $95K | A (96) |
| 9 | Paul Quinn College(private) | Mathematics | $20K | $78K | A (96) |
| 10 | Rice University(private) | Computer and Information Sciences | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 11 | South Texas College(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 12 | Sul Ross State University(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 13 | Texas A & M International University(public) | Mathematics | $19K | $78K | A (96) |
| 14 | Texas A & M University-College Station(public) | Computer Science | $21K | $95K | A (96) |
| 15 | Texas Christian University(private) | Computer Systems Analysis | $22K | $95K | A (96) |
| 16 | The University of Texas at Austin(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 17 | The University of Texas at El Paso(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 18 | The University of Texas at San Antonio(public) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $22K | $95K | A (96) |
| 19 | Trinity University(private) | Computer and Information Sciences | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 20 | University of Dallas(private) | Computer Science | $21K | $95K | A (96) |
College debt and earnings data for Tx is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which tracks outcomes for federal financial aid recipients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Collin County Community College District has the best ROI in Tx with a score of 100/100 (STRONG BUY). The top major is Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management, with $95K in first-year median earnings against $12K in median debt.
Across 113 Tx colleges with ROI data, graduates carry a median debt of about $24K on the best-paying major at each school. First-year median earnings on those same programs average $82K.
Collin County Community College District graduates earn the most one year out, with median first-year pay of $95K on its top major (Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management). After five years, those graduates earn a median of $147K.
Tx has 113 colleges in our database (52 public, 61 private). Of the 113 with reportable ROI, 94% earn an A or B grade.
The ROI Score (0-100) weighs debt-to-income ratio (35%), earnings premium over a high school graduate (25%), job market outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), and debt vs. national average (10%). Scores are graded A-F with verdicts from "Strong Buy" to "Avoid." Data comes from the College Scorecard and BLS occupational projections.
ROI Score: debt-to-income (35%), earnings premium (25%), job market outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), debt vs. national average (10%).