About
The University of Houston is a public research university in Houston, Texas, United States. It was established in 1927 as Houston Junior College, a coeducational institution and one of multiple junior colleges formed in the first decades of the 20th century. In 1934, HJC was restructured as a four-year degree-granting institution and renamed University of Houston. In 1977, it became the founding member of the University of Houston System. Today, Houston is the third-largest university in Texas, awarding 11,773 degrees for the 2024–2025 academic year. As of 2024, it has a worldwide alumni base of 331,672.
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 2.7-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 219 Title IV programs, 84 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 135 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing84 · 38.4%
- No Data135 · 61.6%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
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.
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Programmatic accreditations · 22
Action history · 31
- Dec 2025Heightened Monitoring or Focused ReviewSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Jul 2025Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation · Counseling Psychology (COPSY) - PhD Doctoral programs
- Jun 2025Heightened Monitoring or Focused ReviewSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Jan 2025Renewal of AccreditationAccreditation Council for Pharmacy Education · Pharmacy (PHAR) - Professional degree programs
- Oct 2024Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation · School Psychology (SCPSY) - PhD Doctoral programs
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, 19,457 students received $118.0M in Pell grants, alongside $175.9M 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 7,837 borrowers who entered repayment, 43 (0.5%) 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 University of Houston
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 · 10
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 campus211
- Non-campus2
- Public property1
Includes 65 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
- Cougar Place1 fireOtherDamage $100-$999
- University Lofts2 firesMachinery/IndustrialDamage $1,000-$9,999
- University Lofts2 firesCookingDamage $100-$999
- Cambridge Oaks1 fireCookingDamage $100-$999
- Cullen Oaks2 firesCookingDamage $10,000-$24,999
- Cullen Oaks2 firesMachinery/IndustrialDamage $100-$999
- Cougar Village3 firesElectricalDamage $100-$999
- Cougar Village3 firesMachinery/IndustrialDamage $1,000-$9,999
- Cougar Village3 firesMachinery/IndustrialDamage $1,000-$9,999
- The Quads1 fireCookingDamage $1,000-$9,999
Data quality: 15 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.
University of Houston vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions University of Houston 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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectUniversity of Houston | 65% | — | 47,980 | $14,276 | R1 Research |
| 68% | 89.9% | 79,818 | $14,967 | R1 Research | |
| 67% | 88.5% | 34,096 | $21,279 | R1 Research | |
| 75% | 88.7% | 30,380 | $18,589 | R1 Research | |
| 70% | 77.3% | 37,163 | $19,604 | R1 Research | |
| 75% | 80.4% | 29,640 | $28,198 | R1 Research | |
| 74% | 41.6% | 38,728 | $18,976 | R1 Research | |
| 75% | 85.3% | 45,026 | $25,648 | R1 Research | |
| 69% | 93.5% | 29,792 | $18,059 | R1 Research | |
| 71% | 92.9% | 34,709 | $18,851 | R1 Research | |
| 75% | 78.5% | 31,543 | $20,268 | R1 Research | |
| 67% | 87.5% | 24,393 | $17,747 | R1 Research | |
| 75% | 76.6% | 30,851 | $15,300 | R1 Research | |
| 79% | 60.2% | 38,532 | $22,811 | R1 Research | |
| 63% | 92.6% | 28,464 | $23,433 | R1 Research | |
| Peer group median | 71% | 86.4% | 34,096 | $18,976 |
Institutions like University of Houston
Explore the federal data for institutions in University of Houston's comparison group.
- R1 ResearchArizona
Arizona State University Campus Immersion
Grad rate68%Admit rate89.9%Enrollment79,818Net price$14,967View data - R1 ResearchColorado
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Grad rate67%Admit rate88.5%Enrollment34,096Net price$21,279View data - R1 ResearchIowa
Iowa State University
Grad rate75%Admit rate88.7%Enrollment30,380Net price$18,589View data - R1 ResearchOregon
Oregon State University
Grad rate70%Admit rate77.3%Enrollment37,163Net price$19,604View data - R1 ResearchPennsylvania
Temple University
Grad rate75%Admit rate80.4%Enrollment29,640Net price$28,198View data - R1 ResearchTennessee
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Grad rate74%Admit rate41.6%Enrollment38,728Net price$18,976View data - R1 ResearchOhio
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
Grad rate75%Admit rate85.3%Enrollment45,026Net price$25,648View data - R1 ResearchKansas
University of Kansas
Grad rate69%Admit rate93.5%Enrollment29,792Net price$18,059View data - R1 ResearchKentucky
University of Kentucky
Grad rate71%Admit rate92.9%Enrollment34,709Net price$18,851View data - R1 ResearchMissouri
University of Missouri-Columbia
Grad rate75%Admit rate78.5%Enrollment31,543Net price$20,268View data - R1 ResearchNebraska
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Grad rate67%Admit rate87.5%Enrollment24,393Net price$17,747View data - R1 ResearchOklahoma
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus
Grad rate75%Admit rate76.6%Enrollment30,851Net price$15,300View data - R1 ResearchSouth Carolina
University of South Carolina-Columbia
Grad rate79%Admit rate60.2%Enrollment38,532Net price$22,811View data - R1 ResearchVirginia
Virginia Commonwealth University
Grad rate63%Admit rate92.6%Enrollment28,464Net price$23,433View data
University of Houston Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
As a repository of meaningful information, the Office of Institutional Research collects, analyzes, and converts data into quality, accurate, and unbiased comprehensive facts. We are the official source of institutional data for internal and external constituents to use for planning, policy forming, and strategic decision making.
Visit IR office page- Amy O'Neal, Ph.D.Director of Assessment and Accreditation Services
- Colby J. Stoever, Ph.D.Executive Director - Institutional Research & Information Management
- Vyas KrishnamurthyAssociate Director
- Moumita Mukherjee, Ph.D.Program Director 3/Assistant Director
- Tariq AzizBusiness Intelligence Developer
- Obafemi OgunleyeSenior Institutional Research Analyst
- Ivan ValverdeInstitutional Research Analyst
Research funding
External research funding from NSF, NIH, HERD, and federal spending sources.
Common Data Set
University of Houston's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.
Selectivity & Admissions
Admissions funnel
C134,728 applied → 26,312 admitted (75.7%) → 6,669 enrolled.
Selectivity
C1Accessible — 75.7% acceptance rate.
Admit rate by gender
C1Admit rate varies by gender.
SAT range (middle 50%)
C9Middle 50% SAT None–None (median 1220).
ACT range (middle 50%)
C9Middle 50% ACT 22–28 (median 25).
High-school class rank
C10Share of enrolled first-years by HS class-rank band.
What matters in admission
C7Relative importance of each admission factor.
Outcomes & Equity
Graduation & retention
B6-year graduation rate 65%; first-year retention 86%.
Equity: Pell graduation gap
B4Pell-grant recipients graduate 2 pts below the overall rate (63% vs 65%).
Student Body & Diversity
Undergraduate race/ethnicity
B2Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity.
International students
B26% of undergraduates are international (nonresident).
Undergrad vs graduate
B140,366 undergraduates and 8,584 graduate students.
Reports & documents (4)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DashboardDashboarduh.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- GlossaryReporting Glossary | Institutional Research | University of HoustonThe Reporting Glossary page is part of the Institutional Research section at the University of Houston. It appears to be a resource containing the terms and definitions used in reporting at the university. However, specific terms and definitions are not provided in the text snippet.uh.edu
- Strategic planUniversity of Houston Strategic Plan2021The University of Houston has laid out a comprehensive strategic plan titled 'Together, We Rise. Together, We Soar.' for the period of 2021 to 2028. This plan focuses on elevating student success, enhancing research capabilities, engaging with the community, bolstering athletics, and establishing sustainable funding. By setting ambitious objectives, the university aims to transform its core initiatives and achieve a top 50 public university status.uh.edu
Notable alumni of University of Houston (23)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Brené BrownAcademia
- Jim ParsonsEntertainment and performing arts
- Hakeem OlajuwonBasketball
- Clyde DrexlerBasketball
- Andre WareFootball
- Gene WolfeLiterature
- Dennis QuaidEntertainment and performing arts
- Tommy TuneEntertainment and performing arts
- Jack ValentiArts and media
- Julian SchnabelVisual arts
- Jim NantzJournalism
- Dan RatherJournalism
Frequently asked questions about University of Houston
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about University of Houston.
What is the graduation rate at University of Houston?
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Where is University of Houston located?
Who runs Institutional Research at University of Houston?
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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