TCU acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Texas Christian University · Private nonprofit · Fort Worth, TX · 10,937 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
TCU admitted 42.6% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 47.4% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $63,590 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
Show as table
| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 47.4% | 18,551 | 8,791 |
| 2014 | 48.9% | 17,029 | 8,322 |
| 2015 | 43.3% | 18,423 | 7,974 |
| 2016 | 37.6% | 19,972 | 7,506 |
| 2017 | 41.1% | 19,740 | 8,110 |
| 2018 | 40.7% | 20,156 | 8,210 |
| 2019 | 47.1% | 19,028 | 8,966 |
| 2020 | 48.0% | 21,145 | 10,155 |
| 2021 | 53.6% | 19,782 | 10,606 |
| 2022 | 56.1% | 16,197 | 9,087 |
| 2023 | 42.6% | 20,517 | 8,740 |
Applications went from 18,551 in fall 2013 to 20,517 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $22,363 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $12,610 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $19,790 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $34,094 |
| Over $110,000 | $54,791 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $63,590 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $83,017 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $35,045 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 20% submitted the SAT, 15% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar private colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Baylor TX | 51.0% | $63,620 same for all |
| SMU TX | 61.2% | $69,722 same for all |
| Rice University TX | 7.9% | $67,857 same for all |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
TCU, in Fort Worth, reported 20,517 applications for fall 2023 and 8,740 admitted students, which is 42.6%.1 Its 2013 rate was 47.4%, so the change since then is a decrease of 4.8 percentage points.1 The path was uneven. The rate declined in just 4 of the 10 yearly comparisons and peaked at 56.1% in 2022.1 Applications grew 11% while admissions fell 1%, so the applicant pool changed more than the class offered seats.1
Test scores are optional at TCU.1
Tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $63,590 for every student.2 The median across the 49 private nonprofit colleges in Texas is $31,760.2 Net price in 2024-25 depended on income: $22,363 for $0 to $30,000, $12,610 for $30,001 to $48,000, and $54,791 for over $110,000.2
Among 2019 entrants, 86% finished within 6 years, well above the state median of 45%.2 The retention rate was 93%.2 Median earnings 10 years after entry were $77,334, compared with $56,771 across the state.2 Students who borrowed left with a median debt of $21,500.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 20,517 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 8,740 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 2,488 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 10,937 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 580 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 690 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 570 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 685 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 26 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 31 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 20% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 15% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $63,590 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $83,017 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $35,045 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $22,363 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $12,610 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $19,790 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $34,094 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $54,791 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 86% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 93% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 19% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $77,334 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $21,500 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median tuition and fees, private nonprofit colleges, Texas (N = 49) | $31,760 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, private nonprofit bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Texas (N = 89) | 45% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry, Texas (N = 93) | $56,771 | College Scorecard, median MD_EARN_WNE_P10, bachelor's institutions, 2022-232 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with TCU, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page