Texas Southern University

Texas Southern University offers very accessible admission, though its national standing has softened in recent years. In the 2027 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings, the university stood at 382nd, following a decline from 230th in 2019. For the 2025 admissions cycle, the school admitted 96.9% of its applicants, an acceptance rate higher than 93% of peer schools in its comparison group of 30 similarly ranked public comprehensive universities. This open profile means that gaining entry is relatively straightforward for the vast majority of applicants. However, the institution experiences modest pull among those who are accepted. The university recorded a yield rate of 17.9% in 2025, which was higher than 32% of peer schools in that comparison group. Because fewer than one in five admitted students ultimately choose to enroll, applicants can view the university as an accessible option where admission is very likely, but where many accepted students choose other paths.

Admission to Texas Southern University accommodates a broad spectrum of academic preparation, featuring testing benchmarks that sit well below peer norms. For the 2025 entering class, the university recorded a median SAT score of 900. This score was lower than all peer schools in its comparison group of 30 similarly ranked public comprehensive universities. Enrolled students submitting the ACT had a middle 50% composite score ranging from 15 to 19. In terms of high school performance, most incoming freshmen from the 2023–2024 class entered with B or A averages, though students with lower grade marks are also admitted. For prospective applicants, these metrics demonstrate that competitive standardized scores are unnecessary for acceptance, making the university an attainable target for candidates with modest test records.

Degree conferrals at Texas Southern University are moderately spread out rather than concentrated in a single department, with distinct divides between enrollment volume and program prestige. In 2025, the top three bachelor's fields—General Psychology, Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration, and General Studies—accounted for 21.9% of all undergraduate degrees. However, the university's strongest nationally recognized programs appear at the graduate level rather than among its largest undergraduate departments. In U.S. News rankings, the graduate criminology program achieved a rank of 40 in 2021, and the law school's trial advocacy program ranked 57 in 2026. In terms of early professional return, field choice makes a decisive difference. According to 2023 post-graduation data, bachelor's degree recipients in Computer and Information Sciences earned a median of $74,170 one year after completing their studies, outpacing other disciplines. International student representation remains very small across bachelor's majors, with degrees in psychology and general studies reporting no international graduates in 2025.

Texas Southern University educates an overall student body of 8,704 individuals, characterized by a predominantly African American community and a significant female majority. In 2025, Black students formed the primary demographic across undergraduate study, accounting for 86.4% of all first-time freshmen. Hispanic students constitute the second largest ethnic group, while Asian and international learners have minimal undergraduate representation. For instance, fewer than ten international students enrolled as freshmen in 2025. International and Asian presence increases somewhat in post-baccalaureate programs, where 102 international students made up 5.5% of the graduate division. Prospective applicants should expect an institution deeply rooted in its domestic mission, where global representation is modest and concentrated mainly in graduate classrooms rather than general undergraduate student life.

Undergraduate life at Texas Southern University is centered largely around traditional college-aged students, while the graduate school caters to early-career adults. In 2025, undergraduates aged 18 to 19 formed the largest group on campus at 43.9%, followed by those aged 20 to 21 at 22.6%. This concentration of young adults shapes an undergraduate campus culture focused on early adulthood and direct transition from high school. In contrast, the graduate division draws an older population, led by students aged 25 to 29, who account for 30.3% of graduate enrollment, alongside students aged 22 to 24. This demographic split means daytime undergraduate activities operate separately from the evening and professional commitments typical of the older graduate student body.

International enrollment at Texas Southern University has experienced a steady contraction over the last decade, particularly at the undergraduate level. In 2025, the undergraduate international share stood at 1.0%, placing the university higher than 20% of peer schools in its comparison group of 30 similarly ranked public comprehensive universities. At the graduate level, foreign enrollment has remained somewhat more stable, accounting for 5.5% of post-baccalaureate students in 2025. This divergence between degree levels is clearly reflected among graduating cohorts, where international representation among bachelor's recipients is negligible compared to master's classes. International undergraduates are virtually absent from the largest degree tracks; major fields like General Psychology and General Studies recorded zero foreign graduates in 2025. Instead, international students concentrate within specialized graduate programs, most visibly the master's degree in Management Information Systems, where they comprised 17.6% of graduates. For prospective international students, these patterns show that campus international life is largely confined to select technical graduate cohorts.

Applicants exploring higher education options around Houston will find several distinct institutions located close to Texas Southern University. Just 1.1 kilometers away sits the University of Houston, a large public research university ranked 137th in the 2027 U.S. News National University Rankings. For students interested in a smaller setting, the University of St Thomas is located 2.2 kilometers from campus and held the 202nd spot on the 2027 national university list. Additionally, Rice University is located only 2.5 kilometers away, offering a highly selective private option ranked 16th nationwide in 2027. These neighboring campuses provide alternative academic pathways within a three-kilometer radius.

Campus safety at Texas Southern University shows a downward trend in overall incident frequency, though property offenses and personal conflicts remain active concerns. In 2025, the university's crime rate per 1,000 students stood at 9.0, reflecting a decline from 11.2 in 2016. Across the three-year period from 2023 through 2025, the most frequently recorded incident categories were vehicle thefts, with 37 reported cases, and dating violence, with 33 cases. Burglary, narcotics violations, weapons arrests, and assaults also contributed to campus security reports during those three years. For prospective students and their families, these reports indicate that while the university has reduced its overall crime rate, urban safety issues persist on and immediately around university property. Students should remain aware of standard campus safety protocols, exercise sensible precautions regarding personal property and vehicles, and utilize university safety escort resources when traveling around campus at night.