Texas State University
San Marcos, Texas · Public · 36,177 undergraduates · txst.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Varies by applicant
Depends on the applicant
Admit rate
90%
of 33,907 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
990 to 1200
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$31,820Est.Estimate
$45,560 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at Texas State University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
90% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$45,560
a year in 2027-28, from a $45,560 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1100
Send your score
Your SAT is at or above the median of freshmen who sent scores (1100).
Named scholarships you may qualify for (2)
Texas State Distinguished Scholarship
$4,000 a year
You meet 1060 to 1150 SAT or 21 to 23 ACT. Also needs other requirements.
National Distinction Scholarship
$10,000 a year
You meet the GPA and score minimums. Also needs National Merit Semifinalist standing.
3 more awards need a higher GPA or score. See every tier
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Varies by applicant
Whether you need a score depends on your situation; check the college's rules.
- Doesn't superscore: it uses the scores from one test date.
- Send official score reports when you apply.
Source: Freshman Admission Requirements | TXST Admissions · Checked October 17, 2026
Application deadlines
- Dec1Priority deadline · December 1, 2026Apply by this date for the best chance at admission and scholarships.
- Jul15Regular Decision · July 15, 2027The standard deadline.
Source: How to Apply | TXST Admissions
Who gets in
90%
of applicants were admitted: 30,498 of 33,907 for fall 2024.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2024)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 41% of them sent SAT scores and 6% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 990 to 1200
Reading and Writing 500 to 610
Math 480 to 590
ACT composite 19 to 25
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 16003.2%
- 1200 to 139923%
- 1000 to 119948%
- 800 to 99924%
- 600 to 7992.7%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$31,820
a year, in state
$45,560
a year, out of state (tuition $23,790)
- Tuition (in state)$10,050
- Fees$3,290
- Food and housing$12,820
- Books and supplies$850
- Transportation and other$4,810
Texas State University published $29,192 in state for 2024-25. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$13,022
- $30,001 to $48,000$13,520
- $48,001 to $75,000$14,031
- $75,001 to $110,000$17,400
- Over $110,000$24,336
Financial aid
72%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$11,020
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
18%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $6,845 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 1/15
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
President's Honor Scholarship
$12,000 a year
Automatic · No separate application
- 1420+ SAT or 32+ ACT, top 25%, SAT 1420+ OR ACT 32+, AND top 25% of class OR IB diploma/AP Capstone Diploma
To keep it: a 3.25 college GPA, and pass 28 credit hours at the college each year (fall and spring); it renews for up to 4 years or 8 semesters in a row.
DetailsTexas State Achievement Scholarship
$6,000 to $8,000 a year
Automatic · No separate application
- 1260 to 1410 SAT or 27 to 31 ACT, top 25%, Top 25% of class OR IB diploma or AP Capstone Diploma$8,000
- 1160 to 1250 SAT or 24 to 26 ACT, top 5%, top 5% of class OR IB diploma or AP Capstone Diploma$8,000
- 1160 to 1250 SAT or 24 to 26 ACT, top 6%-15%$7,000
- 1160 to 1250 SAT or 24 to 26 ACT, top 16%-25%$6,000
To keep it: a 3.25 college GPA, and pass 28 credit hours at the college each year (fall and spring); it renews for up to 4 years or 8 semesters in a row.
DetailsTexas State Distinguished Scholarship
$4,000 to $5,000 a year
Automatic · No separate application
- 1160+ SAT or 24+ ACT, top 26%-30%$5,000
- 1160+ SAT or 24+ ACT, top 31%-35%$4,000
- 1060 to 1150 SAT or 21 to 23 ACT, top 25%, Top 25% of class OR IB diploma or AP Capstone Diploma$4,000
To keep it: a 3.25 college GPA, and pass 28 credit hours at the college each year (fall and spring); it renews for up to 4 years or 8 semesters in a row.
DetailsTexas State Merit Scholarship
Competitive · No separate application
Amount varies; academic review for test-optional applicants, subject to funding
- top 35%, no SAT or ACT score submitted; top 35% of class OR IB diploma/AP Capstone Diploma; GED not eligible, only if you apply without scores
To keep it: a 3.25 college GPA, and pass 28 credit hours at the college each year (fall and spring); it renews for up to 4 years or 8 semesters in a row.
Details
Show 1 more scholarships
National Distinction Scholarship
$10,000 a year
National Merit · No separate application
- National Merit Finalist (criteria list says finalist or semi-finalist); Texas State named first college of choice with NMSC by May 31
Deadline: Select Texas State with NMSC on or before May 31 prior to first semester. To keep it: a 3.5 college GPA, and pass 28 credit hours at the college each year.
Details
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
40 of 40
Earn credit with a score of 3
40 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $1,010Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ART 1301 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ARTS 1302 |
| African American Studies | 3 | 3 | AAS 2310 |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | ARTH 2301 |
| Biology | 3 | 4 | BIO 1130 & 1330 |
| Biology | 4 | 8 | BIO 1130, 1330, 1131 & 1331 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 4 | MATH 2471 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 8 | MATH 2471 & 2472 |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 3 | 4 | MATH 2471 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 3 | CHEM 1320 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 4 | CHEM 1341, 1141 |
| Chemistry | 5 | 8 | CHEM 1341, 1141, 1342, 1142 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 14 | CHI 1410, 1420, 2310 & 2320 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 4 | CS 1428 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 3 | CS 1319 |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | ARTS 1301 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENG 1310 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENG 1320 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 3 | GEO 2310 |
| European History | 3 | 3 | HIST 2310 or 2320 |
| European History | 4 | 6 | HIST 2310 & 2320 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 14 | FR 1410, 1420, 2310 & 2320 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 14 | GER 1410, 1420, 2310 & 2320 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GEO 1309 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 14 | ITAL 1410, 1420, 2310 & 2320 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 14 | JAPA 1410, 1420, 2310 & 2320 |
| Latin | 3 | 14 | LAT 1410, 1420, 2310 & 2320 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECO 2315 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECO 2314 |
| Music Theory | 3 | 1 | MU 1112 |
| Music Theory | 3 | 3 | MU 1312 |
| Music Theory | 4 | 5 | MU 1112, MU 1115, MU 1315 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 1115 & 1315 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 1125 & 1325 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 4 | PHYS 2126. 2326 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 4 | PHYS 2125, 2325 |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | 3 | MATH 1315 |
| Pre-Calculus | 4 | 4 | MATH2417 |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSY 1300 |
| Research | 3 | 2 | Honors Elective (non-advanced) |
| Seminar | 3 | 2 | Honors Elective (non-advanced) |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 14 | SPAN 1410, 1420, 2310 & 2320 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 14 | SPAN 1410, 1420, 2310 & 2320 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | ANLY2333 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | MATH 2328 |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POSI 2320 |
| United States History | 3 | 3 | HIST 1310 or 1320 |
| United States History | 4 | 6 | HIST 1310 & 1320 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | HIST 2311 or 2312 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 6 | HIST 2311 & 2312 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
55%
Come back for a second year
80%
Typical earnings
$60,523
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Texas State University$55,418
- All colleges$57,284
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 64 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Texas State University. The Texas State University logo is a trademark of the college.