Baylor University
About
Baylor University is a private Baptist research university in Waco, Texas, United States. It was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Located on the banks of the Brazos River next to I-35, between the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex and Austin. It is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 7.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 197 Title IV programs, 57 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 1 fails. 139 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing57 · 28.9%
- No Data139 · 70.6%
- Failing1 · 0.5%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Near the line (±5%)
Programs within five points of the pass line, one cohort year from flipping.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Programmatic accreditations · 25
Action history · 34
- Nov 2025Grant Substantive Change: ProgramSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Sep 2025Deny Substantive Change: ProgramSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Jul 2025Deferral of ActionAmerican Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation · Clinical Psychology (CLPSYD) - PsyD Doctoral programs
- Jan 2025Grant Substantive Change: ProgramSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Jan 2024Grant Substantive Change: ProgramSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 2,472 students received $14.3M in Pell grants, alongside $171.5M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 2,875 borrowers who entered repayment, 34 (1.1%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at Baylor
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 11
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus39
- Non-campus1
- Public property1
Includes 12 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
- Race1
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
- Brooks Flats3 firesOtherDamage $0-$99
- Brooks Flats3 firesOtherDamage $0-$99
- Brooks Flats3 firesOtherDamage $0-$99
- Collins Hall1 fireCookingDamage $0-$99
- North Village Texana1 fireElectricalDamage $0-$99
- Memorial Hall1 fireOtherDamage $0-$99
- Russell (N & S)1 fireStudent lit water bottle on fire with spray aerosol resulting in the scorching of the carpet.Damage $100-$999
- Penland1 fireElectricalDamage $0-$99
- East Village - Earle1 fireElectricalDamage $0-$99
Data quality: 7 reports were later determined unfounded across the reporting period and are excluded from the totals above.
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Baylor vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Baylor selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectBaylor University | 80% | — | 20,626 | $41,942 | R1 Research |
Boston College | 91% | 16.4% | 15,432 | $39,866 | R1 Research |
Southern Methodist University | 84% | 63.3% | 12,116 | $41,778 | R2 Research |
Syracuse University | 84% | 45.9% | 22,589 | $41,026 | R1 Research |
University of Miami | 84% | 18.9% | 19,852 | $36,803 | R1 Research |
University of Notre Dame | 95% | 11.3% | 13,042 | $27,823 | R1 Research |
| Peer group median | 84% | 18.9% | 17,642 | $40,446 |
Baylor Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The primary mission of the Office of Institutional Research is to conduct research in order to provide information which supports institutional planning, policy formulation, decision making, and external reporting. Our office also administers the course evaluations for Baylor University.
Visit IR office page- Kathleen Morley, PhDAssistant Vice Provost
- Jana MarakDirector of Reporting and Data Analytics
- Faron KincheloeDirector of Business Intelligence
- Jacob PriceAssociate Director of Business Intelligence
- Meaghann Wheelis, PhDAssociate Director of Reporting and Data Analytics
- Brandon RiddleSenior Research Analyst
- Melinda DunnResearch Analyst
- Case HerndonSenior Research Analyst
- Asitha MudiyanselageResearch Analyst
- Jenna SwansonOffice Manager
Research funding
External research funding from NSF, NIH, HERD, and federal spending sources.
Common Data Set (10)
The institution's official annual Common Data Set publications — the most detailed reference for enrollment, admissions, and outcomes.
Reports & documents (6)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- Data definitionGlossaryThe glossary prepared by Baylor University contains definitions for various academic, administrative, and policy-related terms used within the university's institutional reports. It covers a wide range of terms from different categories, such as academic year, enrollment metrics, student classifications, and financial aid descriptions, among others. This comprehensive glossary serves as a valuable resource for understanding the terminology and reporting aspects related to Baylor University's institutional data.ir.web.baylor.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookFall Facts2025The Fall Facts report is an annual report produced by Baylor University's Office of Institutional Research. It provides a summary of various statistics related to the university, including enrollment, graduation rates, and faculty details, offering insights into the university's yearly performance and trends.ir.web.baylor.edu
- FactbookInstitutional ReportsThe Institutional Reports page from Baylor University's Office of Institutional Research provides insights into university operations, programs, long-term trends, and planning through systematic data research and reports. These reports, which cover key areas such as enrollment and student characteristics, faculty and staff, retention and graduation rates, are accessible online and assist in policy formulation and decision-making. Although updated regularly for accuracy, they do not guarantee completeness or error-free data representation.ir.web.baylor.edu
- GlossaryBaylor University Institutional Research GlossaryThe Baylor University Institutional Research Glossary provides definitions of key terms and concepts used within the university's academic and administrative context. It covers terminology related to academic programs, enrollment, faculty classifications, and more, serving as a comprehensive resource for understanding the institution's operations and reporting methodologies.ir.web.baylor.edu
- Strategic planBaylor in Deeds - Strategic Plan 2024-20302023Baylor University's strategic plan, titled 'Baylor in Deeds,' is focused on positioning the University for significant global impact from 2024 to 2030. Through a comprehensive planning process involving faculty, staff, students, alumni, and others, the plan emphasizes four key commitments including student flourishing, interdisciplinary research, global community building, and Christian stewardship. The plan is guided by foundational pillars and imperatives that aim to integrate academic excellence with Christian values in a caring community.strategicplan.web.baylor.edu
Notable alumni of Baylor (29)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- William Bennett BizzellAcademics
- Angela KinseyThe arts
- Willie NelsonThe arts
- Drayton McLaneBusiness
- Trey GowdyPolitics
- Ann RichardsPolitics
- Robert Griffin IIIAthletics
- Michael JohnsonAthletics
- Brittney GrinerAthletics
- Jody ConradtWomen's basketball
- Derek HaasThe arts
- Chip GainesThe arts
Frequently asked questions about Baylor University
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Baylor.
What is the graduation rate at Baylor University?
How many students attend Baylor University?
What is the average net price at Baylor University?
What is the yield rate at Baylor University?
Where is Baylor University located?
Who runs Institutional Research at Baylor University?
Have a question this page can’t answer?
Ask Clema anything about Baylor University and its peers — plain language in, cited answers out, in minutes instead of days.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card