Stephenville, TXpublicwww.tarleton.edu/
Admit rate has ranged 56%–94% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Tarleton State University, a public institution in Stephenville, Texas, blends small-town charm with robust agricultural and nursing programs. Known for its spirited campus life and strong regional reputation, it offers a balance of accessibility (52.6% acceptance rate) and career-focused outcomes (84% graduate success rate within a year).
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
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Outcomes & value
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Tarleton State maintains a moderately selective admissions process with a 52.6% Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants., admitting roughly half of its 18,799 applicants annually. The middle 50% of admitted students typically score between 950-1030 on the SAT (480 EBRW/530 Math minimums) or 18-23 on the ACT. Notably, only 14% of accepted students submit ACT scores, suggesting a preference for SAT submissions or Test-optionalA policy where you choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. If you don't, the rest of your application carries more weight. trends.
Tarleton shines in agriculture, nursing, and education, with its music education program singled out as 'fantastic' by students. The most popular majors include:
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
The College of Science and Mathematics offers rigorous programs in Environmental Science (BS/MS), Chemistry, and Physics, while pre-professional tracks cater to aspiring healthcare and law students.
Campus life thrives on traditions and Texan pride, with students raving about:
Living on campus fosters tight-knit communities, with one student noting: 'There's nothing like a Tarleton sports event—the energy is electric.'
Tarleton delivers strong career launch outcomes despite modest graduation rates:
The university particularly excels in placing agriculture and healthcare graduates, with its nursing program boasting near-100% licensure pass rates.
As a public university, Tarleton offers relative affordability:
Texas-specific programs like the Armed Services Scholarship and Leadership Scholars provide additional funding avenues for eligible students.
Tarleton carves a distinctive niche with: 1. Agricultural powerhouse: Hands-on programs at its 1,800-acre agricultural center 2. Career accelerator: That remarkable 84% post-grad success rate defies its modest selectivity 3. Authentic Texan culture: From rodeo teams to purple-coated marching bands, traditions run deep 4. Student support: Small classes (20:1 student-faculty ratio) and extensive First-generation (first-gen)A student who would be the first in their immediate family to earn a four-year college degree. Many colleges consider this in context. resources
It's the kind of place where future ranchers, nurses, and educators forge lifelong bonds over Friday night lights and undergraduate research projects.