84% Graduation, 94% Retention, and the #1 Public ROI in Texas: How Texas A&M Built One of America’s Most Reliable Outcomes Engines at Scale

by Imed Bouchrika, PhD

Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist

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In the landscape of U.S. higher education, seldom do we see a combination of impressive institutional outcomes. Some schools yield high graduation rates but are often selective. Others offer low costs yet are modest in career data, and those that do produce students in strong-earning careers leave them with substantial debt.

Texas A&M University, however, achieves the outcomes trifecta—a 94% retention, an 84% graduation rate, and an early career salary of $66,570. These results have earned the university several recognitions, including being named the top public college in Texas by Money and ranking 28th nationally and 124th globally in the Times Higher Education (THE) Employability Ranking.

As one of the largest public colleges in the U.S. with more than 77,000 students, Texas A&M breaks barriers. It now stands as a reliable outcomes engine and presents a blueprint to solve some of the most pressing issues in American higher education.

Reinforcing Student Retention With Success Programs

Texas A&M’s 94% retention places it in the top 5% of the country, revealing the strength of its programs. The higher the rate, the more successful an institution is in supporting students in their first year. Around 12,000 undergraduate students enroll at A&M. With this sheer number, A&M’s commitment to its students starts at day one. 

In a correspondence, Texas A&M shares that the Office for Student Success offers several agendas that empower students to become proactive in their academic and personal development. “Hullabaloo U,” a specialized program for freshmen students, helps with the transition to college through various activities. Here, students spend time weekly with their peers, upperclassmen mentors, and instructors who guide them through typical first-year dilemmas, like discovering academic strategies, exploring school resources or wellness programs, and making friends.

The 2024 CIRP Freshman Survey found that more than a majority of students believed they possessed strong academic abilities. However, a significant share still enter college with doubts about their academic competence. This is why colleges must have diverse and robust assistance. 

Apart from “Hullabaloo U,” the office features a Transfer Student Program that helps learners planning to complete their education at Texas A&M. Moreover, it provides coaching and advising sessions and learning centers for writing and math. Lastly, Aggies can also sign up for an Individual Success Program (ISP), which is a tailored assistance setup for students who are academically challenged.

These strategies ensure students can course through their first year with good academic standing while learning how to be independent and how to build their own community. 

Supporting Aggies Through Graduation With Holistic Involvement

Because grades alone do not define success, Texas A&M also takes pride in its non-academic offerings. The university points out that students are encouraged to practice a “culture of getting involved,” one that develops their skills and prepares them for work.

Through the Department of Student Activities, Aggies can participate in purposeful engagement experiences, leadership development, and collaborative support. More than 1,300 student organizations, from the Student Government Association to Greek Life memberships, are available to students.

Texas A&M’s Student Life helps narrow down their options and matches them with the right information, services, and opportunities. The department also promotes responsible life choices by introducing students to accessible local health and safety services and housing or legal assistance.

A strong support system like this pushes students to complete their education. In fact, an Inside Higher Ed survey shows that 32.4% of first-year college students highly value participation in extracurricular activities, citing their importance in their overall well-being and success. 

The institution’s efforts in fortifying Aggies’ academic and personal development are reflected in its graduation outcomes. At 84% and around 8,435 graduates in a single recent year, it stands within the upper decile for any university in the nation. This feat is noteworthy since it is being sustained at a scale only few institutions can equal. 

More importantly, it demonstrates that Texas A&M delivers not only academic excellence but also holistic guidance. This consistency is what drives Aggies through the education-to-employment pipeline.

Reaping Texas A&M’s ROI With High Earnings and Stable Employability

In Money’s 2022 rankings, Aggies recorded an early career wage of $66,570, or 82% more than what high school graduates earned. This figure rose to $72,100 in 2025. Similarly, the Texas A&M Division of Student Affairs notes that a bachelor’s degree graduate earns an average salary of around $76,100 ($75,000 median). 

For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that a high school graduate earns around $48,360 annually, while the National Association of Colleges and Employers finds that the average salary of a bachelor’s degree holder is $66,505 ($63,973 median). These figures show that graduates of Texas A&M tend to enter the labor market with earnings that meet national benchmarks for bachelor’s degree holders. 

To add to that, Texas A&M graduates find many opportunities in the job market. Placing 28th in the U.S. and 124th globally in the Employability Ranking means that the university does well in preparing its students for the workplace. It attributes this success to the Career Center, which utilizes a two-team approach.

According to Texas A&M, the career advising team uses its industry expertise to help students earn an internship or job through the aid of the employee services team. Throughout this process, which begins during freshman year, Aggies are encouraged to join and lead student organizations. Their experiences help them develop their interpersonal skills and gain qualities that employers seek. 

In addition, the Texas A&M Association of Former Students provides services to current students and alumni. The association has continuously built the Aggie Network by connecting with other Aggies for years. Now, more than 574,000 members help each other by expanding the reach. A specialized team has even created a curriculum to educate Aggies on how to navigate modern career tools.

Finally, Texas A&M boasts of several Aggie leaders in the workforce, including CEOs from Fortune 500 companies. These leaders like to hire their fellow schoolmates. The university notes, “Aggie hiring managers know their Aggie candidates have shared experiences through campus traditions and shared values of respect, excellence, loyalty, leadership, integrity and selfless service.”

Leveraging a cycle of support, Texas A&M utilizes and grows its network of students and professionals to sustain the career pipeline. This results in remarkable employment outcomes and salary promises that serve as clear indicators of a high return on investment.

Weighing the Full ROI With Low Costs and Low Debt

A degree’s ROI will be close to meaningless if a student is racked up by debt. National data reveal that the net cost of attendance in a public four-year institution is $21,340. Meanwhile, the average student debt was between $20,000 and $24,999 in 2024. 

Looking at Texas A&M’s numbers, the net price of education is $22,900, or $11,220 for low-income students. An A&M student’s median debt is around $18,265, which is relatively modest compared with other institutions or national average figures. Texas A&M further supports these outcomes by implementing policies aimed at affordability.

Since 2022, Texas A&M’s tuition has been frozen at 2021 rates, and this will persist until 2027. Moreover, starting Fall 2026, the university will expand its long-running free tuition program to include students and families with income and assets up to $100,000. 

With these, higher education is more accessible to aspiring students and their families, especially at a time when the cost of living keeps rising. These considerations are valuable when evaluating the ROI because they show the bigger picture of the financial trade-offs of earning a degree.

Influencing Higher Education As An Outcomes Engine

Despite large populations, Texas A&M’s triple success defies all odds, and it emerges as an outcomes powerhouse. Its achievements start with supporting students as they enter college, ensuring their academic transition to higher education is seamless. A&M fortifies that by providing a balanced experience through engagement in non-academic and extracurricular activities that hone students’ soft skills. 

The university’s career services are also amplified by the Aggie Network, which bridges students, old and new. This connection introduces them to valuable opportunities. All these boost a graduate’s employability, helping them land competitive wages. Factoring in the low cost of education or manageable debt levels, earning a degree at Texas A&M yields a return on investment that rivals private and top universities. 

The university’s Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Chief Enrollment Officer, Chris Reed, further notes, “While still seeking ways to improve, no other university has been able to balance access, student success, and degree attainment at scale like Texas A&M University. That our national reputation has grown to a level where those achievements are paired with low debt and superior job placement and earnings is rarified air.”

Texas A&M establishes that this balance is possible, and it has significantly enhanced the university’s visibility to both students and employers across state lines. Furthermore, Texas A&M offers this combination as a reliable framework that could possibly answer America’s higher education crisis. After all, the university is dedicated to the discovery and development of knowledge. At its core, Texas A&M University aims to “develop leaders of character who take action and create lasting impact. Through educational excellence and world-class research, we are building a brighter, safer world for the people of Texas, the nation and beyond.”

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