The University of Texas at Arlington

UTA’s academic portfolio is unusually broad for a regional public university, offering 180+ degree programs across nine colleges. Standouts include:

• Health professions (especially nursing) and business, which dominate enrollment.
• A 35-year-old interdisciplinary studies program, one of the first of its kind, allowing students to cobble together custom majors.
• Online criminology and criminal justice degrees, catering to working professionals.

Faculty resources are commuter-friendly, with evening and hybrid courses, but research opportunities abound—particularly in engineering and biomedical fields. The Princeton Review notes UTA’s strength in serving non-traditional students, with flexible scheduling and a ‘finish what you started’ ethos for transfer students.

UTA’s commuter-heavy campus (only 15% of students live on-site) means social life is what you make it. Key vibes:

• Clubs are the lifeblood: Over 300 organizations range from anime societies to pre-professional groups. As one Redditor put it: ‘Joining clubs is the best way to make friends here.’
• Diversity is a selling point: The student body is 58.7% female, 41.3% male, with strong international representation.
• Low-key but active: Expect gaming tournaments, service projects, and cultural festivals rather than raucous Greek life (only 5% of students join sororities/fraternities).

The campus itself is urban and walkable, with a new business district and arts venues like the Texas Hall performing arts center.

UTA’s 6-year graduation rate hovers around 54%—below the national average for public universities but on par with peer access-focused institutions. Context matters:

• 26% of students transfer out, often to flagship UT campuses.
• Median earnings 1 year post-graduation are $36,427, outperforming many Texas peers (the university ranks top 10 in the state for graduate earnings).
• Health and business majors dominate job placements, with strong ties to Dallas-Fort Worth employers like Texas Health Resources and Lockheed Martin.

For a school that admits broadly, UTA delivers solid ROI, especially for first-gen?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. and low-income students.

UTA is a budget-conscious choice for Texans:

• Net price after aid: $14,262–$17,913 (68% of students receive aid, with average packages covering ~50% of costs).
• The university distributes $500M+ annually in aid, including need-based grants and merit scholarships.
• In-state tuition is ~$11,000, roughly half the cost of UT Austin.

The financial aid office actively promotes tools like Texas’s Net Price Calculator, emphasizing transparency—a nod to UTA’s working-class student base.

UTA defies easy categorization: It’s a commuter school with research muscle, an open-access institution that punches above its weight in grad earnings, and a diverse campus where clubs outshine football culture. Its interdisciplinary ethos—from customizable majors to hybrid classes—caters to non-traditional students seeking affordability and flexibility. While it lacks the prestige of UT Austin, UTA delivers unmatched value for DFW-bound students in nursing, business, and tech fields.