Top 50 Best Doctoral Degree Programs in Texas by ROI

Every Doctoral Degree program in Texas ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all majors. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in Texas

70

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

+$560,962

Across all Texas programs

Average Annual Cost

$31,658

Cost of attendance

# College Major 20-Yr Net ROI Median Salary Annual Cost Avg Debt
1 The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences. +$4,134,520 $248,726 N/A N/A Full ROI →
2 Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. +$2,167,720 $150,386 N/A N/A Full ROI →
3 Texas Christian University

Grad rate: 84.7%

 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. +$1,768,728 $144,992 $72,778 N/A Full ROI →
4 Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration. +$1,713,400 $127,670 N/A N/A Full ROI →
5 Texas A&M University-College Station

Grad rate: 83.7%

 Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences. +$1,686,140 $132,724 $32,085 N/A Full ROI →
6 The University of Texas at Austin

Grad rate: 87.7%

 Chemistry. +$1,365,232 $116,230 $29,842 N/A Full ROI →
7 The University of Texas at Austin

Grad rate: 87.7%

 Physics. +$1,295,352 $112,736 $29,842 N/A Full ROI →
8 Texas Tech University

Grad rate: 67.1%

 Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research. +$1,165,052 $105,747 $27,472 N/A Full ROI →
9 University of Houston

Grad rate: 64.0%

 Educational Administration and Supervision. +$1,090,856 $101,554 $25,056 N/A Full ROI →
10 The Chicago School at Dallas Business Administration, Management and Operations. +$920,880 $88,044 N/A N/A Full ROI →
11 Texas A&M University-College Station

Grad rate: 83.7%

 Educational Administration and Supervision. +$859,940 $91,414 $32,085 N/A Full ROI →
12 The University of Texas at Austin

Grad rate: 87.7%

 Civil Engineering. +$850,472 $90,492 $29,842 N/A Full ROI →
13 Texas A&M University-College Station

Grad rate: 83.7%

 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. +$799,720 $88,403 $32,085 N/A Full ROI →
14 Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Communication Disorders Sciences and Services. +$745,580 $79,279 N/A N/A Full ROI →
15 University of Houston-Clear Lake

Grad rate: 52.3%

 Educational Administration and Supervision. +$717,908 $82,653 $23,788 N/A Full ROI →
16 University of North Texas

Grad rate: 59.2%

 Educational Administration and Supervision. +$710,520 $82,620 $25,470 N/A Full ROI →
17 Lamar University

Grad rate: 37.4%

 Educational Administration and Supervision. +$699,256 $81,288 $21,626 N/A Full ROI →
18 Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. +$660,660 $75,033 N/A N/A Full ROI →
19 The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. +$660,100 $75,005 N/A N/A Full ROI →
20 The University of Texas at El Paso

Grad rate: 46.6%

 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. +$645,572 $78,144 $19,327 N/A Full ROI →
21 Texas A&M University-College Station

Grad rate: 83.7%

 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology. +$625,680 $79,701 $32,085 N/A Full ROI →
22 The University of Texas at Austin

Grad rate: 87.7%

 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology. +$602,852 $78,111 $29,842 N/A Full ROI →
23 DeVry University-Texas

Grad rate: 14.3%

 Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications. +$598,980 $71,949 N/A N/A Full ROI →
24 University of Houston

Grad rate: 64.0%

 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology. +$595,896 $76,806 $25,056 N/A Full ROI →
25 Baylor University

Grad rate: 80.8%

 Law. +$587,340 $85,393 $70,130 N/A Full ROI →
26 East Texas A&M University

Grad rate: 44.2%

 Educational Administration and Supervision. +$585,588 $76,012 $23,663 N/A Full ROI →
27 Sam Houston State University

Grad rate: 55.6%

 Educational Administration and Supervision. +$583,092 $76,058 $24,517 N/A Full ROI →
28 The University of Texas at Austin

Grad rate: 87.7%

 Educational Administration and Supervision. +$562,492 $76,093 $29,842 N/A Full ROI →
29 University of North Texas

Grad rate: 59.2%

 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. +$539,600 $74,074 $25,470 N/A Full ROI →
30 Baylor College of Medicine Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences. +$539,260 $68,963 N/A N/A Full ROI →
31 University of North Texas Health Science Center Biology, General. +$510,120 $67,506 N/A N/A Full ROI →
32 Hardin-Simmons University

Grad rate: 53.4%

 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. +$509,364 $76,480 $45,059 N/A Full ROI →
33 The University of Texas at Austin

Grad rate: 87.7%

 Curriculum and Instruction. +$495,532 $72,745 $29,842 N/A Full ROI →
34 The University of Texas at San Antonio

Grad rate: 52.3%

 Educational Administration and Supervision. +$467,144 $69,652 $21,474 N/A Full ROI →
35 University of North Texas

Grad rate: 59.2%

 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology. +$458,780 $70,033 $25,470 N/A Full ROI →
36 The University of Texas at Austin

Grad rate: 87.7%

 Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences. +$453,432 $70,640 $29,842 N/A Full ROI →
37 Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Medicine. +$451,140 $64,557 N/A N/A Full ROI →
38 The University of Texas at Austin

Grad rate: 87.7%

 Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies. +$437,512 $69,844 $29,842 N/A Full ROI →
39 DeVry University-Texas

Grad rate: 14.3%

 Business Administration, Management and Operations. +$433,220 $63,661 N/A N/A Full ROI →
40 Texas A&M University-College Station

Grad rate: 83.7%

 Curriculum and Instruction. +$424,700 $69,652 $32,085 N/A Full ROI →
41 Stephen F Austin State University

Grad rate: 52.4%

 Educational Administration and Supervision. +$415,656 $67,629 $24,231 N/A Full ROI →
42 Texas State University

Grad rate: 56.0%

 Educational Administration and Supervision. +$413,368 $67,938 $26,348 N/A Full ROI →
43 DeVry University-Texas

Grad rate: 14.3%

 Accounting and Related Services. +$384,400 $61,220 N/A N/A Full ROI →
44 Texas A&M University-Kingsville

Grad rate: 44.8%

 Educational Administration and Supervision. +$379,972 $65,451 $22,262 N/A Full ROI →
45 The Chicago School at Dallas Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology. +$346,520 $59,326 N/A N/A Full ROI →
46 Texas A&M University-College Station

Grad rate: 83.7%

 International Relations and National Security Studies. +$341,580 $65,496 $32,085 N/A Full ROI →
47 The University of Texas at Austin

Grad rate: 87.7%

 Special Education and Teaching. +$336,312 $64,784 $29,842 N/A Full ROI →
48 The University of Texas at Austin

Grad rate: 87.7%

 Architecture. +$275,052 $61,721 $29,842 N/A Full ROI →
49 The University of Texas at Austin

Grad rate: 87.7%

 Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. +$262,552 $61,096 $29,842 N/A Full ROI →
50 Strayer University-Texas Business Administration, Management and Operations. +$243,888 $58,962 $23,838 N/A Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.