
Trinity University
U.S. News Liberal Arts 2027
#38
Down 1 from 2026
Acceptance rate
25.9%
2025
Peer median 29.3%
Tuition per year
$53,676
$68,426 with room and board
Peer median $66,432
Undergraduates
2,518
Student-faculty ratio 8:1
Peer median 9 : 1
Graduation rate
67.1%
4-year; 6-year rate 75.8%
Peer median 80.5%
“Peers” are the 30 closest-ranked private liberal arts colleges, the same comparison used in this page's data notes.
About
Trinity University is an independent, private non-profit undergraduate-focused institution located in San Antonio, Texas. Established with a historic affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (USA), the university operates on an urban campus near the heart of the city. In the 2027 U.S. News Best Liberal Arts Colleges ranking, Trinity placed 38th nationally, reflecting its position among the country's prominent liberal arts institutions. While primarily dedicated to undergraduate education in the arts, sciences, and pre-professional fields, Trinity also maintains select graduate programs that have garnered notable national recognition. In particular, its graduate health care management curriculum ranked 19th in 2023 and 23rd in 2026 by U.S. News. With its combination of residential liberal arts education, specialized professional pathways, and historic regional roots, Trinity offers an intimate academic setting within the seventh-largest city in the United States.
Trinity University pairs private liberal arts schooling with published tuition below many peer institutions. For 2025, undergraduate tuition was $53,676. When evaluating educational value, families must balance these costs against academic completion timelines. The university recorded a four-year graduation rate of 67.1% in 2025, while its six-year graduation rate reached 75.8%. When measured against a peer group of similarly ranked private liberal arts colleges, Trinity's six-year graduation rate was higher than 7% of peer schools. Although retention from first to second year remains solid, completion within six years lags behind the peer median. For applicants and parents, these outcomes mean that while initial annual tuition is moderate for a national liberal arts college, a notable share of students takes longer to graduate. Planning for educational expenses should therefore account for potential fifth or sixth years of study.
This collegeRanked colleges nearby
- Setting
- Large city
- Nearest major city
- In San Antonio
- Nearest international airport
- San Antonio International Airport (SAT), about 5 mi
- Also known as
- Trinity
- Academic calendar
- Semester
- Religious affiliation
- Presbyterian Church (USA)
- President
- Vanessa Beasley (President)
- Phone
- 2109997011
- City
- San Antonio, Texas
- Address
- One Trinity Place, San Antonio, TX 78212-7200
Rankings & Admission
Peer median 29.3% · the 30 closest-ranked private liberal arts colleges
Acceptance rate by gender, 2025
In 2020: men 30.5%, women 27.4%.
Best #37, lowest #59, latest #38 over the last ten years.
Data insights
Trinity University has grown increasingly selective in recent cycles, rising in the U.S. News Best Liberal Arts Colleges ranking to 38th in 2027 from 55th in 2023. Gaining admission has become challenging as applicant interest expands. In 2025, Trinity admitted 25.9% of its applicant pool. Compared to a peer group of 30 private liberal arts colleges with similar rankings, Trinity's acceptance rate was higher than 37% of peer schools, reflecting tighter selection than most comparable institutions. However, the university experiences a modest draw once offers are made. The yield rate in 2025 was 20.1%, meaning about one in five admitted students chose to attend, a figure higher than 33% of peer schools. With roughly four out of five admitted students declining their offers, Trinity must compete actively against rival private institutions to build its incoming class. For prospective students, these trends demonstrate that while securing admission requires strong credentials, the school remains eager to attract admitted applicants who demonstrate genuine interest.
School and Program Rankings
U.S. News school and program rankings · Click a school to see its programs, and a program for its full ranking
Graduate Rankings · 2026 edition
Health Specialty1 programs—
Ranks in blue are top 10 · ▲▼ change from the previous edition · “—” means no overall ranking for that school · Medical schools are ranked in tiers since the 2025 edition
Test Scores
2025 admitted students, 25th–75th percentile · 29% submitted SAT, 14% submitted ACT · SAT/ACT optional: considered if submitted
Data insights
Admissions at Trinity University require competitive academic preparation. For the enrolled class in 2025, the median SAT score was 1405. When compared to a peer group of similarly ranked private liberal arts colleges, Trinity's median SAT score was higher than 45% of peer schools. Among students reporting ACT results, the middle fifty percent scored between 31 and 34 on the composite examination. These testing metrics reflect a student body with strong academic performance in secondary school. Enrolled students generally align closely with peer institutions in standardized evaluation benchmarks. Prospective applicants preparing their files should target standardized results within or above these mid-ranges to remain competitive alongside typical matriculating students, while pairing their test performance with a strong high school curriculum and consistent course rigor across core subjects.
How Hard Is It to Get In
about 3 in 10
12,506 applicants in 2025, 25.9% admitted
3,241 admitted 9,265 not admitted Yield 20.1%
Degrees & Majors
Graduates in 2025 (first major)
U.S. studentsInternational
Popular graduate programs
- Hospital and Health Care Facilities Administration/Management · Master's31 (0% international)
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General · Master's27 (0% international)
- Accounting · Master's26 (4% international)
- School Psychology · Master's12 (0% international)
- Secondary Education and Teaching · Master's9 (0% international)
- Elementary Education and Teaching · Master's5 (20% international)
Data insights
Trinity University offers a distributed curriculum where undergraduate degrees are not heavily concentrated. In 2025, the top three bachelor's majors accounted for 21.7% of all undergraduate degrees, led by Accounting with 50 graduates and Computer and Information Sciences, General. The largest undergraduate fields are not the school's highest-ranked offerings; undergraduate business and computer science hold lower national standings in the U.S. News rankings. Instead, Trinity’s most prominent ranked specialty is graduate-level Health Care Management, which U.S. News ranked 23rd in 2026. Career outcomes for undergraduate technical fields remain strong regardless of program rank. In 2023 earnings data, bachelor's degree recipients in Computer and Information Sciences, General earned a median first-year salary of $91,857. For prospective applicants, Trinity provides balanced academic choices where pre-professional and STEM degrees lead to solid early-career compensation despite modest undergraduate department rankings.
All majors, graduates and earnings IPEDS · College Scorecard
*Depends on whether majors have graduates in 2025 or not, Yes / No
**Move mouse on can check deitaled graudates number, click for major detailed information
***Due to privacy policy, graduate salaries are not shown for some majors that has few gradautes
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | - | ||
| Accounting. | $74,013 | ||
| Finance, General. | $72,138 | ||
| Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General. | - | ||
| International Business/Trade/Commerce. | - | ||
| Management Science. | $66,851 | ||
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other. | $66,851 | ||
| Marketing/Marketing Management, General. | $55,823 |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology/Biological Sciences, General. | - | ||
| Biochemistry. | - | ||
| Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology. | - | ||
| Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. | - | ||
| Neuroscience. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropology, General. | - | ||
| Economics, General. | $59,310 | ||
| Development Economics and International Development. | $59,310 | ||
| International Relations and Affairs. | - | ||
| Political Science and Government, General. | $35,478 | ||
| Sociology, General. | - | ||
| Urban Studies/Affairs. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research and Experimental Psychology, Other. | $38,107 | ||
| School Psychology. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | $91,857 |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Educational Leadership and Administration, General. | $69,848 | ||
| Elementary Education and Teaching. | $57,180 | ||
| Secondary Education and Teaching. | $57,180 | ||
| Teacher Education, Multiple Levels. | $57,180 |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mass Communication/Media Studies. | $38,113 |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital and Health Care Facilities Administration/Management. | $108,545 | ||
| International Public Health/International Health. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering Physics/Applied Physics. | - | ||
| Engineering Science. | $75,522 |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language and Literature, General. | - | ||
| Rhetoric and Composition. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Studies. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General. | - | ||
| Art/Art Studies, General. | - | ||
| Art History, Criticism and Conservation. | - | ||
| Music, General. | - | ||
| Music Performance, General. | - | ||
| Music Theory and Composition. | - | ||
| Voice and Opera. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics, General. | - | ||
| Financial Mathematics. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese Language and Literature. | - | ||
| Russian Language and Literature. | - | ||
| French Language and Literature. | - | ||
| Spanish Language and Literature. | - | ||
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General. | - | ||
| Latin Language and Literature. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemistry, General. | - | ||
| Geology/Earth Science, General. | - | ||
| Physics, General. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| History, General. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philosophy. | - | ||
| Religion/Religious Studies. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Geosciences. | - | ||
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Asian Studies. | - | ||
| Latin American and Caribbean Studies. | - |
Students
2,687 students in 2025 · Undergraduate men to women 45:55 · Freshman retention 92.9%
- Continuing undergraduates 1,821
- First-year undergraduates 649
- Graduate students 169
- Transfers and others 48
Undergraduate race and ethnicity (2,518)
Age distribution
Bachelor's
Graduate students
Data insights
Trinity University maintains an undergraduate-centered student body comprised mostly of domestic students, with white and Hispanic students making up the largest groups. Among the incoming undergraduate class in 2025, Asian students numbered 62, accounting for 9.5% of the cohort. International undergraduates in the same entering group numbered 34, representing a 5.2% share. Across upper-level undergraduate classes and the small graduate division, representation remains consistent, with Asian and international students holding similar minority proportions. Transfer students and non-degree seekers represent only a tiny fraction of total enrollment. For prospective students evaluating the social and academic environment, Trinity provides a close-knit campus where domestic students make up the overwhelming majority, while Asian and international peers form established communities within the broader student population.
Trinity University maintains an undergraduate population centered almost entirely around traditional college ages. In 2025, undergraduates aged 18-19 made up 45.2% of the degree-seeking student body, followed closely by students in their early twenties. Very few undergraduates are older adults. The graduate division is similarly oriented toward young adults, where the single largest cohort accounted for 60.4% of total graduate enrollment. This demographic structure indicates that undergraduate campus life revolves heavily around students entering directly from high school who share common residential and social routines. Meanwhile, graduate programs predominantly serve young adults continuing their training soon after completing their bachelor degrees rather than mid-career professionals.
International Students
International share over the last 10 years · gray line: median of the 30 closest-ranked private liberal arts colleges
130 in 2025 · 7.4% in 2016
4 in 2025 · 2.9% in 2016
Data insights
International enrollment at Trinity University represents a modest and declining share of the student body. In 2025, international students comprised 5.2% of undergraduates, dropping from earlier levels. Within a peer group of similarly ranked private liberal arts colleges, this undergraduate international proportion was higher than 20% of peer schools. At the graduate level, the international share also trended downward over the past decade, reaching 2.4% in 2025. Among 2025 degree recipients, international bachelor's graduates concentrated primarily in business and STEM disciplines. Finance, General had the highest undergraduate concentration, with international students earning 13.2% of degrees in the field, followed by neuroscience and computer science. In contrast, international master's graduates were limited in number, appearing primarily in elementary education and accounting. Prospective international applicants should recognize that Trinity provides a predominantly domestic environment, with global student representation concentrated within a small selection of quantitative undergraduate majors.
Cost
2025 cost per year
$68,426
- Undergraduate tuition
- $53,676
- Room and board
- $14,750
- Graduate tuition
- $23,597
Peer median tuition + room and board $85,345 · the 30 closest-ranked private liberal arts colleges
Tuition rose 42% from 2016 to 2025; room and board rose 19%.
Finances · fiscal year 2024
Revenue$359M
Expenses$177M
Average faculty salary · 2025 (9-month equivalent)
Dark gray ticks: median pay for the same rank at the 30 closest-ranked private liberal arts colleges
Campus Life
Athletics and varsity athletes NCAA · Southern Athletic Association
Southern Athletic Association: football, basketball, baseball, cross country
| NCAA Division III with football | MEN | WOMEN |
|---|---|---|
| Football | 124 | - |
| Track and Field (Indoor) | 50 | 49 |
| Track and Field (Outdoor) | 50 | 49 |
| Soccer | 47 | 32 |
| Baseball | 62 | - |
| Cross Country | 28 | 23 |
| Basketball | 22 | 25 |
| Swimming and Diving (combined) | 21 | 23 |
| Tennis | 13 | 13 |
| Softball | - | 25 |
| Golf | 12 | 10 |
| Volleyball | - | 18 |
| NCAA Division III with football | MEN | WOMEN |
|---|---|---|
| Track and Field (Indoor) | 60 | 48 |
| Track and Field (Outdoor) | 60 | 48 |
| Football | 91 | - |
| Soccer | 45 | 29 |
| Cross Country | 31 | 21 |
| Baseball | 48 | - |
| Swimming and Diving (combined) | 21 | 25 |
| Basketball | 21 | 15 |
| Tennis | 14 | 11 |
| Softball | - | 23 |
| Golf | 10 | 8 |
| Volleyball | - | 13 |
| NCAA Division III with football | MEN | WOMEN |
|---|---|---|
| Track and Field (Outdoor) | 67 | 47 |
| Football | 91 | - |
| Track and Field (Indoor) | 51 | 36 |
| Soccer | 45 | 29 |
| Cross Country | 31 | 22 |
| Baseball | 48 | - |
| Swimming and Diving (combined) | 18 | 25 |
| Basketball | 21 | 17 |
| Tennis | 14 | 11 |
| Softball | - | 23 |
| Golf | 10 | 8 |
| Volleyball | - | 13 |
Nearby & Safety
Ranked colleges nearby
-
University of Texas-San AntonioSan Antonio · 11.8 mi
U.S. News #227
-
Texas State UniversitySan Marcos · 43.7 mi
U.S. News #288
-
The University of Texas at AustinAustin · 72.1 mi
U.S. News #34
-
Southwestern UniversityGeorgetown · 94.5 mi
Liberal Arts #91
-
Texas A & M University-College StationCollege Station · 151.1 mi
U.S. News #59
-
Baylor UniversityWaco · 165.2 mi
U.S. News #90
-
Rice UniversityHouston · 185.9 mi
U.S. News #16
-
University of St. Thomas (TX)Houston · 186.5 mi
U.S. News #202
-
University of HoustonHouston · 189.4 mi
U.S. News #137
Data insights
Students exploring college options in Central and South Texas have several alternatives close to Trinity University. Located just 11.8 kilometers away in the same city, The University of Texas at San Antonio is a large public institution ranked 227th among national universities in the 2027 rankings. Further north, Texas State University sits 43.7 kilometers away in San Marcos, ranking 288th nationally. For those considering major research universities, The University of Texas at Austin lies 72.1 kilometers away and is ranked 34th in the national university category. In addition, students interested in another private liberal arts setting can consider Southwestern University, situated 94.5 kilometers away in Georgetown, which ranked 91st among liberal arts colleges in 2027. These neighboring institutions provide diverse choices ranging from prominent state flagship universities to fellow regional liberal arts colleges.
Peer median 16.7 · the 30 closest-ranked private liberal arts colleges
Incidents, 2023–2025
From the Clery Act campus safety reports schools file, covering on-campus, non-campus and public property.
Data insights
Campus safety reports at Trinity University show that disciplinary enforcement accounts for most reported incidents. In 2025, the school's crime rate per 1,000 students stood at 8.9. From 2023 to 2025, the most frequent reports were disciplinary referrals rather than criminal arrests, led by 104 alcohol disciplinary referrals and 52 drug disciplinary referrals. Direct criminal offenses occurred at much lower levels over that three-year period. Motor vehicle theft was the leading criminal category with 18 incidents, followed by smaller numbers of rape, sexual harassment, and dating violence incidents. For families evaluating campus environment and safety, these records indicate that institutional policy enforcement around alcohol and drug use drives the vast majority of campus incidents, while serious offenses remain limited.
Notable Alumni
All 24Notable alumni of Trinity University include Alice Walton (Walmart heiress and billionaire), Jaclyn Smith (Actress known for Charlie's Angels) and John Cornyn (US senator for Texas).
-
Alice Walton 1949–
Walmart heiress and billionaire
-
Jaclyn Smith 1945–
Actress known for Charlie's Angels
-
John Cornyn 1952–
US senator for Texas
-
Matt Mead 1962–
32nd Governor of Wyoming
-
Froyla Tzalam 1971–
Governor-General of Belize
-
Anne Smith 1959–
Former tennis player and educational psychologist
-
Michael McCaul 1962–
US Representative from Texas
-
Chuck McKinley 1941–1986
Amateur men's tennis champion of the 1960s
-
Brian Gottfried 1952–
Tennis player, 1977 French Open singles runner-up
References and Data Sources
- Trinity University Official Website
- USNews Best National Liberal Arts Colleges Ranking
- USNews Bset Global Universities Ranking
- THE World University Ranking
- QS World University Ranking
- ARWU World University Ranking
- US Department of Education College Scorecard
- National Center for Education Statistics
- Forward Pathway US College Ranking Database
Data from IPEDS (U.S. Department of Education), U.S. News, THE, QS, ARWU and Clery Act campus safety reports. Data insights are written by the Forward Pathway data team from public data.