Baylor University
Waco, TX · Private · Midsize city · Carnegie R1/R2
Private institution in Waco, TX · 15,007 undergraduates · 51% acceptance rate · $65,793 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 8%Undergraduates
- Top 11%Graduation rate (4-year)
- Top 12%Full-time retention
- Top 14%Median ACT
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
- $41,9421,936th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $54,8441,885th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $54,8441,883rd cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $70,1301,835th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $23,000997th lowest of 1,880 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $65,793362nd highest of 1,969 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $56,532311th highest of 1,964 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 80.2%214th highest of 2,031 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 90.6%230th highest of 1,853 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 51.0%289th most selective of 1,608 reporting
- Average SAT
- 1313175th highest of 1,024 reporting
- Median ACT
- 29132nd highest of 954 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 15,007167th largest of 2,162 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 15.0:11,317th smallest of 2,159 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 13.0%2,006th highest of 2,140 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 91 mi (DAL)
On 3 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Applying
- EDNov 1
- EANov 1
- RDFeb 15
- Common App member
- Yes
- Application fee
- Free
- Personal essay
- Required
- Writing supplement
- No
Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 76 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | bachelors | $75,518 | $71,015 |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing OperationsBusiness | bachelors | $71,643 | $84,653 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $70,083 | $75,047 |
| Mechanical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $65,238 | $66,897 |
| Management Information Systems and ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $64,087 | $65,320 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $63,898 | $64,216 |
| Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $60,771 | $59,425 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness | bachelors | $57,526 | $59,854 |
| Real EstateBusiness | bachelors | $57,318 | $55,964 |
| Business/Managerial EconomicsBusiness | bachelors | $56,234 | $49,644 |
| Business/Commerce, GeneralBusiness | bachelors | $54,869 | $52,941 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business OperationsBusiness | bachelors | $52,607 | $52,107 |
Campus facts
- Religious affiliation: Baptistsource
- Founded in 1845source
- Motto: "Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana"source
- Athletic nickname: "Bears"source
- McLane Stadium seats about 45,000source
- Competes in Big 12 Conferencesource
- School colors: Green and Goldsource
- Athletic conference: FBSsource
- Football rivalry: Battle of the Brazos (since 1899)source
- Football rivalry: Baylor–Houston (since 1950)source
- Football rivalry: Baylor–Rice (since 1914)source
- Football rivalry: Baylor–Texas (since 1901)source
- Football rivalry: Baylor–Texas Tech (since 1929)source
- Plays for the "Bluebonnet Shield" (since 1899)source
- Fight song: ""Old Fight""source
- Notable alum: Willie Nelsonsource
- Notable alum: Rand Paulsource
- Notable alum: Jeff Dunhamsource
- Notable alum: Brittney Grinersource
- Notable alum: Michael Johnsonsource
Athletics — 11 sports
NCAA Division I-FBS · NCAA Division I
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $20,161,069 (M $11,199,854 · W $8,961,215)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Equestrian
- Football
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Soccer
- Softball
- Tennis
- Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
- Volleyball
- Basketball: 2021, 2019, 2012
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Key links
- Official websitebaylor.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 223232)
- 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
- Showdown: Baylor University vs San Antonio CollegeHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 11 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.