Abilene Christian University
Abilene, TX · Private · Midsize city · ACU
Private institution in Abilene, TX · 3,129 undergraduates · 64% acceptance rate · $55,736 median earnings 10 years after entry.
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $27,4011,606th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $42,3801,689th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $42,3801,669th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $56,1211,614th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $24,2501,156th lowest of 1,865 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $55,736749th highest of 1,954 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $46,727746th highest of 1,950 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 60.2%768th highest of 2,014 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 79.5%695th highest of 1,837 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 63.9%469th most selective of 1,596 reporting
- Average SAT
- 1189433rd highest of 1,022 reporting
- Median ACT
- 25346th highest of 952 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 3,129674th largest of 2,144 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 13.0:1979th smallest of 2,141 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 22.0%1,601st highest of 2,122 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 158 mi (DFW)
On 1 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 50 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $61,020 | $57,318 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $58,943 | $58,522 |
| MarketingBusiness | bachelors | $43,575 | $42,682 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsEducation | bachelors | $43,128 | $42,905 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness | bachelors | $42,682 | $44,170 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasEducation | bachelors | $42,682 | $44,747 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationCommunications | bachelors | $39,369 | $37,568 |
| Fine and Studio ArtsVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | $39,153 | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherMultidisciplinary Studies | bachelors | $33,993 | — |
| Psychology, GeneralPsychology | bachelors | $32,382 | $28,236 |
| Design and Applied ArtsVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | $30,771 | $20,824 |
| Criminal Justice and CorrectionsHomeland Security & Law Enforcement | bachelors | $29,685 | $31,741 |
Campus facts
- Religious affiliation: Churches of Christsource
- Founded in 1906source
- Athletic nickname: "Wildcats"source
- Shotwell Stadium seats about 15,075source
- Competes in NCAA Division Isource
- Fight song: ""ACU Fight Song""source
- Notable alum: Bobby Morrowsource
- Notable alum: John Layfieldsource
- Notable alum: Daniel Johnstonsource
Athletics — 9 sports
NCAA Division I-FCS · NCAA Division I
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $10,899,182 (M $6,550,454 · W $4,348,728)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Football
- Golf
- Soccer
- Softball
- Tennis
- Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
- Volleyball
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Similar-size colleges
Nearest undergraduate enrollment to Abilene Christian University’s 3,129 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.
In TX
- University of Mary Hardin-BaylorBelton, TX · 2,959 undergrads
- College of the MainlandTexas City, TX · 3,342 undergrads
- University of North Texas at DallasDallas, TX · 2,914 undergrads
- Grayson CollegeDenison, TX · 2,890 undergrads
- Brazosport CollegeLake Jackson, TX · 2,827 undergrads
- University of St ThomasHouston, TX · 2,826 undergrads
Elsewhere
- Point Loma Nazarene UniversitySan Diego, CA · 3,132 undergrads
- Clark State CollegeSpringfield, OH · 3,134 undergrads
- Colgate UniversityHamilton, NY · 3,122 undergrads
- Bemidji State UniversityBemidji, MN · 3,120 undergrads
- Minnesota State University MoorheadMoorhead, MN · 3,120 undergrads
- University of IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN · 3,147 undergrads
Key links
- Official websiteacu.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 222178)
- Compare colleges in TXRe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in TexasEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Compare with University of Mary Hardin-BaylorSide by side on every Scorecard measure — closest in-state school by enrollment
- Showdown: Abilene Christian University vs University of Mary Hardin-BaylorHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 9 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.