by our College Data Analytics TeamWith all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take when you want to pursue a grad degree. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Best Master's Degree Colleges in Texas ranking is part of that endeavor.
What's on This Page: * Our Methodology
Our analysis looked at 56 grad schools in Texas to determine which ones have the best master's degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best grad schools. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of master's graduates during the early years of their career. While master's degree recipients from schools in Texas earn an average starting salary of $57,376, those from the top 25 school on this list made an average of $58,210.
Graduate students may also take on a lot of debt while working on their master's so we factor that into our rankings as well. The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.
In addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt loads, we also look at a host of other factors to determining our Best Master's Degree Schools ranking. Several other factors - such as how much the school spends on educational resources, the demand of the school, the availability of online learning options, and the student body caliber - go into our rankings.
Find out more about our graduate school ranking methodology
Thinking about continuing your education further? Check out our Best Doctorate Degree Schools ranking.
Learn more about these excellent grad schools below:
Our analysis found Rice University to be the best grad school for master’s degrees in Texas in this year’s ranking. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 929 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Rice is $71,091 during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas at Austin. The school came in at #2 in Texas on this year’s best master’s degree schools ranking. This large public school is located in Austin, Texas, and it awarded 3,093 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from UT Austin make an average of $60,992 a year.
The excellent master’s degree programs at Texas A&M University - College Station helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Texas. Located in College Station, Texas, the large public school handed out 3,603 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Texas A&M College Station is $67,437 during the early years of their career.
Out of the 56 master’s degree schools in Texas that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern Methodist University landed the #4 spot on the list. SMU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Dallas, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,731 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from SMU make an average of $76,382 a year.
A rank of #5 on our Best Master’s Degree in Texas list means Texas Christian University is a great place for students working on their degree. Fort Worth, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out master’s degrees to 493 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from TCU make an average of $61,293 a year.
With a ranking of #6, Baylor University did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas list. Located in Waco, Texas, the large private not-for-profit school awarded 1,108 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Baylor go into careers with an average salary of $50,750 during the early years of their career.
Texas Tech University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas list. Lubbock, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out master’s degrees to 1,797 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Texas Tech go into careers with an average salary of $51,345 during the early years of their career.
The University of Texas at Dallas came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas ranking. UT Dallas is located in Richardson, Texas and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3,103 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Those who receive a master’s degree from UT Dallas go into careers with an average salary of $70,804 during the early years of their career.
The University of Texas at Arlington came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas ranking. This large public school is located in Arlington, Texas, and it awarded 4,902 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $61,205 during the early years of their career.
University of Houston landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas ranking. This large public school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 1,791 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $56,200 during the early years of their career.
Lamar University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas ranking. This fairly large public school is located in Beaumont, Texas, and it awarded 2,667 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $55,234 during the early years of their career.
Trinity University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas list. Trinity U is a small private not-for-profit school situated in San Antonio, Texas. It awarded 97 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Trinity U make an average of $62,127 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #13, University of Houston - Downtown did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas list. Located in Houston, Texas, the fairly large public school awarded 543 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from UH Downtown is $60,849 during the early years of their career.
University of North Texas did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Denton, Texas, the large public school handed out 2,150 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from UNT go into careers with an average salary of $49,722 during the early years of their career.
Texas Woman’s University landed the #15 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas ranking. Located in Denton, Texas, the fairly large public school handed out 1,547 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from TWU make an average of $53,792 per year during the early years of their career.
University of Dallas landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas ranking. UD is a private not-for-profit institution located in Irving, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 331 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from UD is $70,068 during the early years of their career.
University of the Incarnate Word came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas ranking. San Antonio, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out master’s degrees to 668 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from UIW go into careers with an average salary of $51,925 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #18, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas list. Located in Edinburg, Texas, the large public school handed out 1,891 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from UT Rio Grande Valley go into careers with an average salary of $55,282 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Abilene Christian University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas list. Abilene Christian is located in Abilene, Texas and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 397 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $54,810 during the early years of their career.
Sam Houston State University landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas ranking. SHSU is located in Huntsville, Texas and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 836 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Graduates with a master’s degree from SHSU make an average of $54,501 per year during the early years of their career.
University of St. Thomas came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas ranking. University of St. Thomas is a small private not-for-profit school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 510 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from UST is $62,828 during the early years of their career.
St. Mary’s University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in San Antonio, Texas, and it awarded 205 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from St. Mary’s go into careers with an average salary of $50,040 during the early years of their career.
The University of Texas at San Antonio came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas ranking. UTSA is located in San Antonio, Texas and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,311 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $54,909 during the early years of their career.
Saint Edward’s University did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Austin, Texas, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 203 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from St. Edward’s University make an average of $46,376 per year during the early years of their career.
Texas State University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in Texas list. Texas State is a large public school situated in San Marcos, Texas. It awarded 1,297 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Texas State is $45,283 during the early years of their career.
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More about our data sources and methodologies.