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Private 4-Year Moderately Selective Waco, TX NCAA Division I-FBS

Baylor University

Waco, TX

51.3%
Acceptance Rate
$78,816/yr
Est. Cost of Attendancesum of published cost components
$41,104/yr
Avg Price After Aid
80.1%
6-yr Grad Rate
14,785
Undergrads

About Baylor University

Baylor University is a private nonprofit institution located in Waco, Texas, situated in a midsize city setting. The university serves approximately 14,785 undergraduates with a student-to-faculty ratio of 15:1 and maintains an 80.1% graduation rate.

Type
Private 4-Year
Undergrads
14,785
Avg Faculty Salary
$107,983
Athletics
NCAA Division I-FBS
Endowment
$2.1B
Pell Students
12.4%
First-Gen
17.1%
What Baylor University Is Known For
Majors far more concentrated here than at colleges nationally
Medical/Health Humanities 53 graduates · 1.4% of degrees here vs 0.01% nationally 111×
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs 216 graduates · 5.8% of degrees here vs 0.11% nationally 54×
Communication 192 graduates · 5.2% of degrees here vs 0.46% nationally 11×
Communication Sciences and Disorders 89 graduates · 2.4% of degrees here vs 0.24% nationally 10×
Accounting 214 graduates · 5.8% of degrees here vs 1.92% nationally
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023, against the national share at the same degree level
Admissions
51.3%
Acceptance rate · Moderately Selective
39,735
Applicants
Can I Get In? →
Cost & Aid
$41,104 avg net
Average net price after aid
$22,024
Under $30K income
$2.1B
Endowment
Can I Afford It? →
Outcomes
$56,532 median
Median earnings 6 years after entering
80.1%
6-yr Grad Rate
$23,000
Median Debt
Is It Worth It? →

Baylor University Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate
51.3%
39,735 applicants
Student:Faculty Ratio
15:1
Undergrad instruction

Baylor University admits approximately half of applicants with an acceptance rate of 51.3%, indicating moderate selectivity where a substantial portion of candidates gain admission to the institution.

How Selective Is That, Really?
Each dot is one of 100 applicants · Source: school's Common Data Set, else College Scorecard
1 in 2 applicants is admitted · 39,735 applied
10-Year Acceptance Rate Trend
10-year trend · Source: College Scorecard
10 years

SAT & ACT Score Ranges

Where Admitted Students Score
Middle 50% of enrolled students, on the full SAT scale · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS)
Fall 2023
1200–1400
40080012001600
Who Applies, and Who Gets In
First-year applicants, admits and enrollees by gender
Applied Admitted Rate Enrolled
Men 15,404 8,491 55.1% 1,321
Women 24,331 11,771 48.4% 1,996
SOURCEIPEDS Admissions — Fall 2023 admissions cycle
How These Admissions Numbers Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Baylor University admits 51.3% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 74%.

Acceptance rate
This school
51.3%
Similar colleges (1,009)
73.8%
TX (89)
84.5%
National (1,934)
78.1%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Baylor University Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance

Avg Net Price
$41,104
Average for all students receiving federal aid, 2023-24
Median Federal Debt
$23,000
Federal Loan Rate
31.2%
Students borrowing federal loans

Baylor University's cost of attendance is $78,816, while the average net price students pay is $41,104. Students pay substantially less than the sticker price due to financial aid.

Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Estimated annual costs · on-campus, 2023-24 · Source: College Scorecard
$78,816
Tuition & Fees
$58,100
74%
Room & Board
$15,314
19%
Books & Supplies
$1,498
2%
Other Expenses
$3,904
5%

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income
Average net price after all grants and scholarships · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS net price)
Under $30,000
$22,024
$30,001 – $48,000
$21,530
$48,001 – $75,000
$33,902
$75,001 – $110,000
$38,852
Over $110,000
$47,895

* One or more income brackets show an unusually low net price, reflecting need-based aid that can reduce cost to near zero for families in that range.

Full Cost of Attendance
Source: College Scorecard
2023-24

Student Loan Debt

How Many Students Borrow
Undergraduates taking on any loan
Take out a loan
91%
Federal loans
31%

Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $244.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How This Price Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

After aid, Baylor University costs $41,104 a year — about 82% more than a typical similar college.

Cost of attendance
This school
$74,226
Similar colleges (1,094)
$49,718
TX (167)
$22,352
National (3,197)
$25,367
Students taking a loan
This school
91.5%
Similar colleges (998)
91.8%
TX (286)
85.1%
National (4,096)
86.4%
Median debt at graduation
This school
$23,000
Similar colleges (1,032)
$24,977
TX (306)
$10,667
National (4,347)
$13,097
Average net price
This school
$41,104
Similar colleges (1,105)
$22,585
TX (342)
$18,300
National (5,106)
$17,160

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Baylor University Graduation Rate & Student Outcomes

6-yr Grad Rate
80.1%
Median Earnings 6yr
$56,532
6 years after entering

Baylor University reports an 80.1% graduation rate. Six years after entry, median earnings are $56,532, increasing to $65,793 ten years after entry.

Graduate Earnings After College

Median Graduate Earnings Over Time
6 and 10 years after entering · includes all students, not just graduates · Source: College Scorecard
Median Earnings by Gender · 6 Years After Entering
Students working 6 years after entering · Source: College Scorecard
$57,096
Men
$55,936
Women
Graduation Rate: Pell vs. Non-Pell
6-year graduation rate by grant status · Source: College Scorecard
70.5%
Pell recipients
77.8%
Non-Pell students

Top Majors & Programs

Top Majors by Graduates
Most recent year available · bachelor's degrees only · Source: IPEDS Completions 2023
MajorGraduates
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse330
Biology/Biological Sciences, General217
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs, Other216
Accounting214
Communication, General192
Finance, General181
Marketing/Marketing Management, General176
Psychology, General156
Political Science and Government, General117
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical...102
Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Completing within six years
White
83.3%
Asian
81.3%
Hispanic
73.4%
Black
72.2%
SOURCECollege Scorecard — groups with too few students to report are omitted
Earnings Further Out
The longer horizon

Median earnings eight years after entering Baylor University are $61,504, and 76% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How These Outcomes Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Six years after entry, former Baylor University students earn $56,532 — 24% more than at a typical similar college.

Median earnings, 10 years
This school
$65,793
Similar colleges (1,077)
$54,064
TX (298)
$38,475
National (4,696)
$40,782
Median earnings, 6 years
This school
$56,532
Similar colleges (1,077)
$45,468
TX (314)
$32,803
National (4,847)
$35,433
Graduation rate
This school
80.1%
Similar colleges (1,074)
58.1%
TX (116)
43.3%
National (2,168)
52.3%
Freshman retention
This school
90.8%
Similar colleges (1,117)
76.6%
TX (87)
68.8%
National (1,841)
75.7%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Baylor University Campus, Athletics & Faculty

Baylor University is a private nonprofit institution located in Waco, Texas, a midsize city. The undergraduate student body includes 14,785 students, with 59.3% women, 17.1% first-generation students, and 12.4% Pell grant recipients.

Student Demographics
Undergraduate enrollment · Source: College Scorecard / IPEDS
Race & Ethnicity
White
59.6%
Asian
8.6%
Hispanic
17.5%
Black
5.5%
Other Indicators
First-generation
17.1%
Pell grant recipients
12.4%
Women
59.3%
Baylor University Athletics
Total Revenue
$34.8M
Total Expense
$34.8M
Athletes
663
261 men · 402 women
Head Coach Salaries
Men's vs Women's programs · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's sports
$1,931,333
Women's sports
$329,342

Average head coach salary by program gender.

Athletic Aid
Scholarship spending by gender · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's aid
$10,956,785
Women's aid
$9,582,113
Academic Resources
1,213
Full-time faculty
$107,983
Avg faculty salary
10,766
FT staff
$2.1B
Endowment
Faculty Salary by Gender
All instructional ranks combined · Source: IPEDS Human Resources
Men (avg)
$118,606
Women (avg)
$96,466
Overall avg
$107,983
Who Is on Campus
Beyond the undergraduate headcount
Undergraduates
14,785
Graduate students
5,711
Varsity Athletes
Play a varsity sport
3.7%

553 of 14,788 undergraduates, counting each athlete once regardless of how many sports they play.

SOURCEIPEDS enrollment; Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filings
Online & Distance Learning
How much of the teaching happens remotely
Undergrads fully online
2.1%
Undergrads taking any
36.5%
Grad students fully online
50.3%

324 of 15,155 undergraduates study entirely at a distance, against 2,849 of 5,669 graduate students.

SOURCEIPEDS Fall Enrollment, distance education status

Baylor University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

How This Campus Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median
Pell grant share
This school
12.4%
Similar colleges (1,171)
32.8%
TX (358)
52.5%
National (5,367)
40.1%
Research spending per student
This school
$8,234
Similar colleges (1,164)
$6,264
TX (158)
$6,462
National (2,823)
$5,605
Students per faculty member
This school
15:1
Similar colleges (1,191)
12:1
TX (359)
17:1
National (5,427)
15:1

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Every Major at Baylor University
98 fields of study, bachelor's degree level, grouped by subject area
3,706 graduates
Business and Marketing 970 grads · 12 majors
Accounting 214
Finance, General 181
Marketing/Marketing Management, General 176
Business/Commerce, General 95
Management Information Systems, General 95
Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies 55
Business Administration and Management,... 46
Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain... 43
Sales, Distribution, and Marketing... 30
Fashion Merchandising 22
Human Resources Management/Personnel... 11
Insurance 2
Health Professions 727 grads · 7 majors
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 330
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs, Other 216
Communication Sciences and Disorders, General 89
Medical/Health Humanities 53
Public Health, General 35
Environmental Health 3
Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical... 1
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 369 grads · 4 majors
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 217
Neuroscience 81
Biochemistry 65
Bioinformatics 6
Communication and Journalism 261 grads · 3 majors
Communication, General 192
Journalism 53
Speech Communication and Rhetoric 16
Social Sciences 253 grads · 5 majors
Political Science and Government, General 117
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 42
Sociology, General 37
International Relations and Affairs 33
Anthropology, General 24
Psychology 156 grads · 1 major
Psychology, General 156
Visual and Performing Arts 155 grads · 12 majors
Fine/Studio Arts, General 30
Music Performance, General 29
Cinematography and Film/Video Production 28
Interior Design 22
Acting 18
Fashion/Apparel Design 12
Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and... 6
Art History, Criticism and Conservation 3
Music Theory and Composition 3
Music, General 2
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 1
Music Pedagogy 1
Education 122 grads · 11 majors
Elementary Education and Teaching 60
Music Teacher Education 38
Mathematics Teacher Education 5
Teacher Education and Professional... 5
Social Studies Teacher Education 4
Spanish Language Teacher Education 3
English/Language Arts Teacher Education 2
Special Education and Teaching, General 2
Biology Teacher Education 1
Chemistry Teacher Education 1
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 1
Parks, Recreation and Kinesiology 112 grads · 2 majors
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical... 102
Exercise Science and Kinesiology 10
Engineering 110 grads · 3 majors
Mechanical Engineering 56
Electrical and Computer Engineering 37
Engineering, General 17
Multidisciplinary Studies 87 grads · 5 majors
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 37
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 31
Data Science, General 16
Museology/Museum Studies 2
Classical, Ancient Mediterranean, and... 1
Family and Consumer Sciences 63 grads · 3 majors
Human Development and Family Studies, General 44
Human Nutrition 18
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human... 1
Natural Resources and Conservation 42 grads · 2 majors
Environmental Studies 25
Environmental Science 17
History 40 grads · 1 major
History, General 40
Philosophy and Religious Studies 40 grads · 2 majors
Religion/Religious Studies 26
Philosophy 14
English Language and Literature 34 grads · 2 majors
English Language and Literature, General 21
Professional, Technical, Business, and... 13
Physical Sciences 31 grads · 4 majors
Chemistry, General 15
Astrophysics 8
Geology/Earth Science, General 7
Physics, General 1
Computer and Information Sciences 26 grads · 1 major
Computer Science 26
Mathematics and Statistics 26 grads · 3 majors
Mathematics, General 13
Applied Statistics, General 10
Applied Mathematics, General 3
Public Administration and Social Services 22 grads · 1 major
Social Work 22
Transportation 20 grads · 2 majors
Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot and... 13
Aviation/Airway Management and Operations 7
Foreign Languages and Linguistics 17 grads · 7 majors
Linguistics 4
Spanish Language and Literature 4
Classics and Classical Languages,... 3
Arabic Language and Literature 2
Russian Language and Literature 2
French Language and Literature 1
German Language and Literature 1
Science Technologies 11 grads · 1 major
Science Technologies/Technicians, General 11
Liberal Arts and General Studies 7 grads · 1 major
Humanities/Humanistic Studies 7
Area, Ethnic and Gender Studies 3 grads · 2 majors
American/United States Studies/Civilization 2
Asian Studies/Civilization 1
Theology and Religious Vocations 2 grads · 1 major
Religious/Sacred Music 2
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023 — first majors only, so a student with a double major is counted once

Baylor University Location & Campus Safety

Baylor University is in Waco, TX, in what IPEDS classifies as a midsize city setting. The campus sits about 4.1 miles from the center of Waco.

Baylor University
Midsize city
Campus Setting
4.1 mi
To City Center
141,925
Waco Population
Living in Waco
Cost of living and getting around, for the whole city — not the campus
ACS 2023
$1,098
Median Rent / mo
$51,468
Median Household Income
34%
Rent as % of Income
How People Commute
Drive alone
77.3%
Walk
2.8%
Public transit
0.7%

McLennan County scores 6.8 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — below average walkable. The index is a county-wide average of block groups, so it describes the surrounding area rather than the campus itself.

Undergraduates make up about 12.4% of Waco's residents.

SOURCEU.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates; EPA National Walkability Index

Campus Safety at Baylor University

Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures Baylor University reported for 2024.

62
On-Campus Offenses
24
In Residence Halls
3
Per 1,000 Students
93
Domestic, Dating & Stalking

Read these numbers carefully. A Clery figure counts reports, not incidents. A university with active reporting channels, a large campus police force and a teaching hospital will record more offenses than one where the same events go unreported — so a higher count is not evidence of a more dangerous campus, and a low count is not evidence of a safe one. In 2024, 833 campuses with more than 1,000 students reported no offenses at all. Use these figures to ask a college questions, not to rank one against another.

Reported On-Campus Offenses by Year
Criminal offenses reported on campus, including residence halls · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Clery Act disclosures
2022
45
2023
39
2024
62
What Was Reported in 2024
On-campus criminal offenses by category
Motor vehicle theft
23
Burglary
22
Sexual offenses
15
Arson
2

Separately, Baylor University reported 69 arrests and 24 disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug and liquor law violations on campus. Referrals for alcohol violations are usually the largest category at residential colleges and reflect how a school handles student conduct internally.

SOURCEU.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety and Security — Clery Act disclosures, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Baylor University admissions, costs, and outcomes.