I am not bringing you this so you can memorize figures. I am bringing it to you because your son or daughter may be considering this school right now, and you need to understand the landscape before getting in the car with them. Let's take it piece by piece.
What kind of university it is, and where it stands
Texas Woman's University is a public university offering programs of four years or more. The federal government, through the Carnegie system that classifies US universities by what they do, places it among doctoral and professional universities. IPEDS—the official system where universities report their data—confirms that a doctorate is the highest level this institution says it offers, although that does not tell you whether your child's specific program goes that far. That must be asked program by program.
It is in Denton, Texas, within Denton County, and its main campus is located within the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area. That does not mean the campus is right in the center of that urban area. If your child plans to live at home and commute, do not trust the map: drive the route yourself on a weekday, at the exact time of their classes. The actual travel time is almost never what Google Maps promises.
One important label: the Carnegie classification, based on data from 2019-20, describes this university as large and primarily nonresidential. Technically, that means that fewer than one in four undergraduate students lived in institution-provided housing, or that fewer than half studied full time. The data do not clarify which of the two conditions applied, and this also does not mean there are no residence halls—in fact, there are, as you will see later. It is only an institutional snapshot, not a verdict on how your child will live there.
It also appears, in another classification from 2021, among institutions that receive many transfer students. If your child plans to come here after studying at another school, this does not tell you how many credits they will bring in or how many will be lost along the way. Ask for that in writing before enrolling, not afterward.
And one clarification worth making up front: Texas Woman's University is not listed as a historically Black college or university (HBCU), a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 universities in this federal directory, 138 have at least one of those three designations; this one does not. That does not say which students it serves best or how your child will feel on that campus. Ask directly: what cultural centers exist today, what student organizations are available, and—if you can—talk with someone who already studies there.
The size of the community, and who makes it up
Texas Woman's University reported 15,664 students enrolled in the official fall count. It is a large school: the government places it in the range of 10,000 to 19,999 students, and compared with 519 selective-admission, four-year public schools in this same census, it is on the larger side—between one and three out of every ten similar schools have more students.
But that large number hides something important: it is divided into 10,260 undergraduate and 5,404 graduate students. If your child is entering a bachelor's degree program, the number that really matters is not the total. It is 10,260.
Here is a figure worth turning up the volume on: 36 out of every 100 undergraduate students are reported as Hispanic or Latino. That is more than one in four, and among the 519 comparable schools in this census that reported this data, it places Texas Woman's University in the top quarter. Being Latino on this campus would not be the exception.
That said, counting is not the same as serving. This percentage tells you how many there are, not whether there is a Spanish-speaking counselor, whether tutoring is designed for that community, or whether those students complete their degrees at a higher or lower rate than others. And it is the percentage for the entire school, not for the specific program that interests your child. Find out; do not assume.
Another fact that changes the mental picture: women are a clear majority among undergraduates, at 86 out of every 100 students. And out of every 100 undergraduate students, 21 are between 25 and 64 years old—this is not a campus made up entirely of teenagers fresh out of high school. Out of every 100 first-time students, 98 reported a permanent address in Texas when they applied. It is overwhelmingly a Texas community.
How the academic year is organized and which credits they accept
The year at Texas Woman's University is organized into semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. That is standard at most US universities, so it should not surprise you, but it is worth understanding clearly when planning family calendars.
The institution stated that it accepts credit from AP exams. It did not indicate that it accepts credit for life experience. It also reports that it enrolls high school students in college courses for credit, both within and outside a formal dual-enrollment program, and that it accepts credit for military training.
Here is the hard truth you should not skip: saying they accept AP does not mean they will award credit for every exam your child takes. We do not know what scores they require, how many credits they award, or whether those credits will actually count toward the program your child chose. Ask for the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for savings in time or money until you have that document in hand.
As for what they offer: between July of 2022 and June of 2023, the university awarded 2,141 bachelor's degrees across 20 program families. By far, the family with the most degrees was health professions: 669 of the 2,141, or 31 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year. The catalog offers a broad selection, but with a clear concentration in health. That does not measure the quality of any particular program or tell you whether the exact program your child wants exists today under that name. Verify it directly.
Regarding class size, one figure often raises questions: the reported ratio is 17 students for every full-time-equivalent faculty member. Compared with similar schools, it is a middle-of-the-range figure, neither among the lowest nor the highest. And here is something many families do not know: this institutional ratio does not tell you the actual size of a classroom. It is an average calculated in a way that IPEDS does not fully explain. Do not use it to imagine the size of your child's first-year classroom.
What the university reports as academic pathways and opportunities
Texas Woman's University reports offering study abroad, an entire program that can be completed only during evenings or weekends, preparation for teacher certification below the college level, and state approval of its initial teacher certification program. These are structured pathways that exist in the institutional record; if any interest you for your child, ask directly about access details, capacity, and requirements.
What getting in is like: the admission policy and what actually happens
There is something worth understanding clearly here, because it changes how your child should invest their energy in the process.
Texas Woman's University stated that it does not have open admission: it reviews certain elements before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations, it marked three as required: the high school record, the high school GPA, and an English proficiency exam for applicants when applicable. The list of what it does NOT consider is longer: it does not weigh the specific high school course curriculum, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, a portfolio or skills exam, work experience, or whether a family member attended the university. Even if those materials are submitted, the report says they do not factor into the admission decision.
In plain English: the high school transcript carries the weight here. A well-written essay and moving letters of recommendation are not marked as part of the admission decision. That does not mean writing well is not worthwhile—it matters for other things, such as scholarships—but if your child is spending energy polishing an essay instead of making sure the transcript is complete and submitted on time, they may be investing effort in the wrong place for this particular school.
If your child studied outside the United States or completed high school in Spanish, ask today whether an English proficiency exam is required and what would exempt them. This is often discovered late, and here it is marked as required when applicable.
Now for the figure that will probably surprise you most: in the most recent report, Texas Woman's University counted 7,584 first-time applicants and admitted 7,204. That is 95 out of every 100. Almost everyone who applies gets in. Compared with 519 selective public schools in this census, it is on the higher-admission side: seven out of ten similar schools, or more, admit an equal or smaller percentage.
Even so, 380 applicants did not receive an offer. The door is open to almost everyone, but not absolutely everyone.
And here is the hard truth, without embellishment: being easy to get into does not mean it is inexpensive or that most students finish. Before deciding, look at the net price and the graduation rate. Those two calculations matter more than the admission figure, and you will see them later in this same article.
There is another interesting number: out of every 100 admitted students, only 20 enrolled. The other 80 had secured a place here and decided not to take it. This is not a mark against the school—the federal record does not say why each person made the choice they did—but it does remind you of something important: receiving an acceptance letter is not the same as deciding to attend. What others decided does not tell you what is right for your family. Wait for your own child's net price letter before making any decision.
Regarding the SAT and ACT: the university reported that it does not consider them in the admission decision, even if applicants submit them. That does not say whether it uses them for scholarships or placement into certain courses—ask about that separately.
And regarding transfers: in the fall of 2023, 1,209 undergraduate students entered after attending another institution. That is a high number compared with similar schools. But how many credits they were awarded upon arrival is a completely different question, one not answered by this data, and it must be resolved by speaking directly with the school.
The price: what they advertise and what is actually paid
At Texas Woman's University, among 361 first-time, full-time credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or in-district rate, and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $8,378. Among 168 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $11,121; among 124 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $17,856. For dependent students, the income band combines their parents' income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (361 students) and the highest-income band (124 students) is $9,478. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $10,763.
The advertised price is not the same as the price that is paid. Here, for low-income families, the average net price was $8,378 in the 2022-23 academic year.
The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at this public institution, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average for students with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask about it before applying.
Scholarships, aid, and loans: separate the piles before they arrive
Out of every 100 degree-seeking students at this university, 76 received some grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. Among those who received it, the average was $7,486 per year. And out of every 100 students, 46 received a Pell Grant, the federal aid for low-income families.
Be careful about a common source of confusion: the percentage (76 out of every 100) and the average ($7,486) do not share the same denominator. The first is calculated across all degree-seeking students; the second, only among those who received something. Do not multiply them together thinking they produce a combined figure.
Regarding loans: 39 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan in the reported academic year. Among those who borrowed, the average was $6,721 that year. It is a middle-range proportion compared with similar schools: neither among those generating the most debt nor those generating the least.
Here is a hard truth worth stating plainly: that average of $6,721 is for just one year and only for federal loans in the student's name. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, bank debt, or credit cards. And it is not the total debt with which a student graduates—that would require adding several years together, and that number simply is not in this report. This percentage describes other families, not yours. What your child would need to borrow depends on their own financial aid letter. Wait for that letter before ruling out the school or committing to it.
The institution also reports structured payment options: a guaranteed tuition plan, an installment payment plan, and participation in a Promise-type program. It is worth asking the school's financial office directly about all three.
Living there, or not: campus, course format, and support
Texas Woman's University does have its own housing. It does not require all first-time, full-time students to live there—that means there is no universal rule, not that no program requires it. The reported maximum capacity of institution-controlled housing is 2,323 students. It also offers meal plans, with a fixed number of meals per week in the largest plan.
The existence of a room does not guarantee an available bed when your child needs one. Ask in writing for the current rate, the housing application deadline, and whether a place is guaranteed or your child is simply added to a waiting list.
Regarding ROTC: the only branch confirmed in writing in the report is the Army. The Navy and Air Force are not marked. That does not mean it is impossible for your child to participate in those branches—it means this report does not confirm it, and you need to ask directly.
Regarding sports: the university competes in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NCAA. That is what the federal record confirms; it does not tell you which division each sport competes in or whether athletic scholarships are available for the specific sport that interests your child. Write directly to that sport's coach, and get the response about roster space, division, and scholarships in writing.
Regarding distance education: 25 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all their classes online, a high percentage compared with similar schools. But this number counts all undergraduates together. A high overall figure says nothing about whether the specific program that interests your child is offered online, in person, or in a hybrid format. One program may be almost entirely online while the one next to it is almost entirely on campus.
The library has employed staff, annual spending above the government-recorded threshold of $100,000, physical and digital materials, and interlibrary lending. That is a solid foundation, but exceeding that threshold does not guarantee the availability of the specialized databases your child's program needs. Ask by program name.
The university also reports combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services for graduates, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military personnel, a veterans' student organization, and a published web address for disability services. The fact that these services are reported does not measure their quality or effectiveness; you learn that by talking with people who already use them.
Those who stay and those who finish: the part that carries the most weight
We have reached the numbers that, if you had to choose only a few to remember, should be these.
Of the class that entered in the fall of 2022 as first-time, full-time, bachelor's-degree-seeking students—1,319 people—74 out of every 100 were still enrolled here or had already completed a bachelor's degree one year later. That figure is a little below the midpoint among the similar schools compared. The record does not separate how many of that 74 had already graduated from how many were still studying, nor does it explain what happened to the rest. And something important: not returning to this school is not the same as leaving higher education. Someone who transferred and continues studying elsewhere is counted the same way in this number as someone who left college entirely.
Now for graduation. Of the 1,244 first-time, full-time students who entered a bachelor's degree program in 2017, 550 had earned a degree from this school six years later. That is 44 out of every 100.
At four years—the timeline most families budget for—the figure is only 27 out of every 100. That is 17 points lower than at six years. The data do not say how many semesters each person attended and do not report tuition, rent, or wages. The data do not say how many semesters each person attended and do not report tuition, rent, or wages.
Compared with similar schools, this six-year graduation rate is below the midpoint of the group. It is a hard truth and should be stated without embellishment: at six years, it is practically a fifty-fifty split between those who graduate from here and those who do not. The federal record counts outcomes; it does not explain the reasons for each individual case. That does not mean your child is destined to be part of the half who do not finish—it means it is worth asking, very clearly, what concrete support exists to help your child finish the exact program they chose on time.
A longer view, at eight years, of a different and broader cohort—3,161 students who entered between 2015 and 2016, including part-time students and those with previous college experience—shows that 58 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school by August of 2023. Among those who specifically received a Pell Grant, that figure falls to 53 out of every 100, ten points lower than among those who did not receive Pell. If your family would qualify for Pell, this does not determine your child's outcome, but it is a question worth asking the school directly: what assigned advising, emergency assistance, and renewal of internal scholarships are available specifically for those students.
What this means for your plan
You now know one important and verified piece of the decision: who Texas Woman's University is according to official numbers. You know that almost everyone who applies gets in, that the listed cost is relatively low compared with similar schools, that the actual price falls considerably for modest-income families, that there is a strong Latino community, and that graduating on time—within four years—is the most difficult point in this profile.
This piece does not tell you whether your child should attend. That depends on two other things this article cannot know for you: what your child truly wants to study and what they have built so far, and what your family can and is willing to pay. The university's role is to admit, deny, and offer aid. Your child's role is their effort, their curiosity, and the direction of their life. Your role is the family's money, the documents, the deadlines, and supporting your child without carrying the entire map by yourself or leaving them to carry it alone.
When the admission letter arrives, do not stop at the sticker price. Ask for the actual net price. Ask about the credit pathway if your child is coming from another school. Ask about language requirements if your child studied outside the United States. Verify the exact program, not the program family. And before signing anything, sit down with your child and the numbers together, not separately.
The next step comes from that conversation, not from this article alone.
Source note: The information in this article comes from official data reported by Texas Woman's University to the US Department of Education's IPEDS system, primarily corresponding to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic years, along with Carnegie classifications from 2019-20 and 2021. Best College Aid does not represent Texas Woman's University or the US government, and this article is not a substitute for direct verification with the institution's admission and financial aid offices.