Houston Christian University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Houston, Texas. It enrolls 2,886 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Good
61/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes28
Value51
Affordability69
Selectivity38
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Houston Christian University admits 84.4% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
84.4%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
990 – 1190
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
17 – 24
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Houston Christian University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
14.1 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $20,629 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$39,430
Room & Board (on-campus)
$12,928
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,928
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,774
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,042
Total Cost of Attendance
$50,082
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$17,933
$30,001 – $48,000
$18,998
$48,001 – $75,000
$19,803
$75,001 – $110,000
$24,079
Over $110,000
$28,640
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,25010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$22,642Medianpercentile
$24,97675%percentile
$31,25090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $11,000
↓ $11,642
No Pell $11,000
↓ $11,642
Dependent students $12,000
↓ $10,642
Independent students $9,500
↓ $13,142
Female students $11,717
↓ $10,925
Male students $10,125
↓ $12,517
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($22,642), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
45% of students who start here finish within six years, and 69% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
45%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
69%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $55,933 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$55,933
Earning > $25K
77%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$48,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$62,000
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$49,300
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$55,300
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$53,700
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $13,600, about 22% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
8.6 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 79% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 2,886 students, a mid-sized community. Worth knowing: 36% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
2,886
Part-Time
23%
First-Generation
36%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 38.7%1,118
Black 24.1%696
White 15.8%456
Asian 5.5%158
International 4.0%115
Other 3.1%89
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Houston Christian University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Houston Christian University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
65 distinct programs across
22 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 18 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.
Student : Faculty
18:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$237M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$71,266
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
124 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
30
24%
$76,911
Associate Professors
33
27%
$73,157
Assistant Professors
53
43%
$69,358
Instructors
1
1%
$48,546
No Rank
7
6%
$55,853
Pros & Cons of Houston Christian University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Houston Christian University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Best for:
Based on the data, Houston Christian University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Houston Christian University
The questions families ask most about Houston Christian University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Houston Christian University hard to get into?
Not especially. Houston Christian University admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 84.4%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Houston Christian University?
84.4% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Houston Christian University?
Aim for 1190 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 990 and 1190 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Houston Christian University?
Aim for 24 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 17 and 24 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Houston Christian University cost?
Budget around $20,629 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Houston Christian University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $55,933 a year against a net price of $20,629, about 2.7 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Houston Christian University known for?
Mostly Mental Health Services, Nursing, Nursing. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Houston Christian University graduates earn?
About $55,933 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Houston Christian University accredited?
Yes. Houston Christian University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Houston Christian University?
2,886 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Houston Christian University?
45% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Houston Christian University a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Houston Christian University located?
Houston Christian University is located in Houston, Texas.
What programs does Houston Christian University offer?
65 different programs, most commonly Mental Health Services, Nursing, Nursing. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Houston Christian University?
18 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Texas
Other colleges in Texas share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Nursing
Education, General
Business Administration
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