The commitment to affordability and student success sets one university apart in Texas
Federal report shows Texas A&M University graduates earn well above the national median.
While the amount of debt incurred by college students increases nationwide, Texas A&M University continues to provide value to students and families that is nearly unmatched in the state. According to the federal government, upon graduation Texas A&M students on average have less debt and earn higher starting salaries than their in-state public school counterparts.
The U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard shows Texas A&M graduates to have median earnings of $76,234 four years after graduation, well above the national midpoint of about $60,000 and more than $20,000 higher than in 2015. Texas A&M’s median college-cost debt for its graduates is $17,804, among the lowest at Texas public universities and more than $1,000 lower than in 2015.
Texas A&M gives out more than $1.1 billion in aid yearly and leads public universities in the state with only 26% of students receiving federal loans. Sixty-three percent of Texas A&M students graduate debt free, well above the national average of 45%.
“There is still work to be done but assuring the affordability of an Aggie degree is now and will continue to be a strategic imperative as we try to better serve the needs of the state and nation,” said Chris Reed, associate vice president for enrollment management and chief enrollment officer.
Earlier this year, Texas A&M announced two major steps to keep an Aggie education affordable: extending its freeze of undergraduate tuition and required fees through the 2026–27 academic year and expanding the free tuition program called Aggie Assurance beginning in fall 2026 so more families — including those with up to $100,000 in income and assets — can qualify for free tuition.
Since 2022, Texas A&M has held undergraduate tuition and required fees at 2021 rates. Approximately 80,000 undergraduate students have enrolled since 2021 without experiencing a tuition increase. May 2025 marked the first graduating class to complete its Texas A&M degree with no tuition or fee increase during the students’ time on campus, and the extension through 2026–27 means at least two additional graduating classes will share in those savings.
Texas A&M’s affordability commitment is paired with outcomes that continue to rank among the strongest in Texas and nationally. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2026 Best Colleges ranking placed Texas A&M No. 1 among public universities in Texas, No. 1 in the Southeastern Conference and No. 12 nationally among public institutions, based on measures that include student experience, career preparation, learning environment and return on investment. (Texas A&M Stories)
Texas A&M’s value shows up not only in affordability and earnings, but in the impact of Aggies across the economy and public life. No public university in Texas has produced more current Fortune 500 CEOs, and Texas A&M is home to one of the largest networks of CEO alumni among U.S. public universities.
