Baylor University (BU) – Tuition, Programs & Admissions 2026

Baylor University is a private Baptist Christian R1 research university in Waco, Texas — the oldest continuously operating university in Texas, founded in 1845. With 20,000+ students from 90+ countries, a 51% acceptance rate, and tuition of $54,844/year.

Baylor is ranked #91 nationally and #7 for First-Year Experience by US News. International students are reviewed for merit-based scholarships through the holistic admissions process — no application fee for undergraduates. The 94.8% graduate placement rate within 6 months and major employers including AT&T, Dell, and KPMG recruiting on campus make Baylor one of the strongest career-prep universities in Texas. Here’s everything you need to know.

What Is Baylor University?

Baylor University was chartered on February 1, 1845 — before Texas became a U.S. state — making it the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and one of the oldest universities west of the Mississippi River. It was founded by the Union Baptist Association and named after Judge R.E.B. Baylor, a lawyer, soldier, and Baptist minister who helped establish the institution. Today, Baylor is the world’s largest Baptist university and has grown into a comprehensive research institution offering programs from undergraduate through doctoral levels.

Located in Waco, Texas — centrally positioned between Dallas-Fort Worth (100 miles north) and Austin (100 miles south) on the I-35 corridor — Baylor occupies a 1,000-acre campus on the banks of the Brazos River. The campus is consistently recognized as one of the most beautiful in Texas, featuring a mix of historic Victorian-era buildings, modern research facilities, and extensive green spaces.

In 2023, Baylor was reclassified as an R1 Doctoral University — Highest Research Activity by the Carnegie Classification — a significant upgrade that reflects the university’s growing research output and doctoral program expansion over the past decade. Baylor is now one of only two private universities in Texas with R1 status, alongside Rice University.

Baylor is fully accredited by SACSCOC, with AACSB (Hankamer Business School), ABA (Baylor Law), ABET (engineering), ACEN (nursing), NASM (music), and over 100 additional program-level accreditations.

Baylor University at a Glance — Key Facts

Programs and Schools at Baylor University

Baylor offers over 140 undergraduate programs and 75+ graduate programs across 12 colleges and schools. The curriculum spans pre-professional tracks, liberal arts, STEM disciplines, professional schools in law and business, and one of the strongest faith-integrated academic environments in Texas.

The 12 colleges include:

1. Hankamer School of Business (AACSB) — BBA, MBA, MS in Information Systems, MS in Finance, MS in Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation; AACSB-accredited; direct access to Waco’s central Texas business market and DFW/Austin corporate sectors
2. School of Engineering and Computer Science (ABET) — Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Civil Engineering; ABET-accredited programs with a growing research profile
3. College of Arts and Sciences — Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Psychology, Political Science, English, History, Sociology, Philosophy; the largest college at Baylor
4. School of Law (ABA) — JD program; ABA-accredited; ranked #74 nationally by US News; strong Texas legal market placement
5. Louise Herrington School of Nursing (ACEN) — BSN, MSN; ACEN-accredited; strong NCLEX pass rates; clinical placements in Waco’s growing healthcare sector
6. School of Music (NASM) — Performance, Composition, Music Education, Music Therapy; NASM-accredited; nationally recognized
7. Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences — Kinesiology, Nutrition Science, Public Health, Physician Assistant Studies, Health, Human Performance
8. School of Education — Teacher certification tracks, Educational Psychology, Educational Leadership
9. Diana R. Garland School of Social Work — BSW, MSW; faith-integrated social work programs
10. School of Theatre Arts
11. George W. Truett Theological Seminary — Graduate theological education
12. Honors College — Selective interdisciplinary honors track for academically distinguished students

Standout Programs

Business (Hankamer School) — AACSB accreditation and a 94.8% placement rate within 6 months make Hankamer one of the most career-effective business schools in Texas. Top recruiters include AT&T, Dell, KPMG, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, and PwC. The MBA in Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation is a particularly distinctive program that integrates Baylor’s Waco-based entrepreneurship ecosystem with graduate business education.

Computer Science — Baylor’s CS program has grown significantly under R1 classification, with research connections to biomedical computing, cybersecurity, and data science. Popular among international students, particularly for the MS in Computer Science program.

Biomedical Engineering — One of Baylor’s fastest-growing engineering programs, leveraging the university’s proximity to Texas medical research networks and Baylor’s own health sciences research infrastructure.

Nursing (BSN) — ACEN-accredited with consistently strong NCLEX first-time pass rates. Waco’s growing healthcare sector — anchored by Baylor Scott & White Medical Center (yes, named for the same Baylor family) — provides strong clinical placement pathways.

Pre-Health Professions — Baylor’s pre-med track produces competitive medical school applicants. The university’s faith-based emphasis on service and the whole person aligns naturally with healthcare careers, and Baylor’s pre-health advising office is well-regarded for its support of students through the medical school application process.

Law (Baylor Law School) — Ranked #74 nationally (US News), with particular strength in trial advocacy. Baylor Law is known for producing practice-ready attorneys — its unique practice court program puts students in simulated courtroom environments with real judges and attorneys before graduation.

Baylor University Tuition and Cost of Attendance

Graduate Tuition

Net Price After Financial Aid

• Baylor is committed to meeting the demonstrated financial need for admitted domestic students
• Merit-based scholarships range from $1,000 to full tuition for the most academically outstanding students
• The average financial aid package for students who receive aid covers a significant portion of the sticker price — the actual net price varies widely by individual financial profile
• Waco’s cost of living is 10% below the national average — a meaningful practical advantage for students managing budgets
• Off-campus housing near Baylor typically runs $600–$950/month — significantly lower than in Austin, Dallas, or Houston

Baylor Scholarships

Merit-Based Scholarships — Automatic Consideration at Admission

Baylor reviews all applicants for merit-based scholarships through a holistic admissions process. No separate scholarship application is required for most merit awards — your admissions application IS your scholarship application. Scholarship amounts range from partial to full tuition. Key details:

• Awards based on: GPA, class rank, SAT/ACT scores, extracurricular involvement, and essays
• Average admitted GPA for scholarship-competitive applicants: 3.67+
• Apply Early Decision 1 (November 1) or Early Decision 2 (January 1) for best scholarship consideration
• Scholarships are renewable with continued academic performance
• Students receive scholarship notifications with their admission decision

Honors College Scholarship

Students admitted to Baylor’s Honors College receive additional scholarship consideration. The Honors College offers interdisciplinary coursework and research opportunities, and admission to the college typically comes with enhanced merit aid for qualifying students. Contact the Honors College directly for current award amounts and eligibility criteria.

International Student Scholarships — Holistic Review

International undergraduate applicants are reviewed for merit-based scholarships through the same holistic admissions process as domestic students. Key details:

• No application fee for international undergraduates — one of the few universities in this guide with this policy
• Merit scholarships available ranging from $1,000 to full tuition based on academic profile
• Need-based aid is also available, dependent on CSS Profile submission
• International students are eligible for on-campus work-study jobs if their F-1 visa status permits (typically on-campus employment up to 20 hours per week)
• Graduate international students are considered for tuition waivers, fellowships, stipends, and multi-year research or teaching assistantships through individual departments

Graduate Scholarships and Assistantships

Baylor’s graduate programs offer a range of financial support:

• Partial to full tuition waiversare  available in most doctoral programs
• Teaching Assistantships (TAs) and Research Assistantships (RAs) — typically providing a stipend plus a tuition waiver for doctoral students
• Fellowships in select graduate programs — contact your target department for current availability
• Health insurance subsidy available for some graduate assistants
• Multi-year funding packages available for competitive PhD applicants

Need-Based Aid — CSS Profile

Baylor offers need-based financial aid to both domestic and international students who submit the CSS Profile. The CSS Profile provides a more detailed financial picture than FAFSA alone, allowing Baylor to meet more demonstrated need for qualifying families. Domestic students should also completethe  FAFSA for federal aid eligibility. Submit both forms as early as possible after October 1 each year.

Baylor Acceptance Rate and Admission Requirements

Baylor University has an acceptance rate of approximately 51% — moderately selective. The university practices holistic review, considering academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, faith alignment, and personal essays alongside GPA and test scores.

Undergraduate Requirements

• Apply via Common App or the goBAYLOR application (baylor.edu/admissions)
• No application fee for international undergraduates
• Average admitted GPA: 3.67
• Median SAT: 1,250–1,280; Median ACT: 27–30
• Required essay (Common App essay + Baylor supplemental)
• One counselor recommendation required; teacher recommendations encouraged
• English proficiency: TOEFL iBT 80+, IELTS 6.5+, Duolingo 110+, PTE 60+
• Application deadlines:
  • Early Decision 1: November 1 (decisions by December 15)
  • Early Decision 2: January 1 (decisions by early March)
  • Regular Decision: February 1 (decisions by mid-April)

Graduate Requirements

• Application fee: $50 for most graduate programs
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 for most programs
• GRE/GMAT scores (varies by program — GMAT required for MBA)
• Letters of recommendation (typically 2–3)
• Statement of purpose
• TOEFL iBT 80+, IELTS 6.5+, or Duolingo 110+ for international applicants
• Financial documentation for international applicants

Campus Life at Baylor University

A Beautiful Campus in the Heart of Texas

Baylor’s 1,000-acre campus on the Brazos River is consistently ranked among the most beautiful in Texas. Historic buildings — including Pat Neff Hall with its iconic dome — sit alongside modern research facilities, the Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation, the Baylor Sciences Building with advanced laboratory spaces, and McLane Stadium. The campus is compact enough to be walkable but large enough to feel like a complete world — complete with the Brazos Riverfront as a backdrop.

Waco itself has undergone significant transformation in the past decade. The emergence of the Magnolia Market at the Silos — created by Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV’s Fixer Upper, who are Baylor alumni — has made Waco a genuine tourist destination and has catalyzed significant downtown development. Waco is no longer the sleepy mid-Texas city it once was; it now draws millions of visitors annually and has a growing restaurant, retail, and culture scene that benefits Baylor students directly.

Faith Integration and Campus Culture

Baylor’s Baptist affiliation is genuine and visible in campus life. Chapel opportunities, campus ministries, Bible studies, and mission programs are woven into the student experience. Baylor’s Pro Humanitate (For Humanity) motto reflects the university’s conviction that education should serve people beyond the campus. Students from diverse faith backgrounds attend Baylor, but the Christian community is real and active — if faith community matters to your college experience, Baylor delivers it authentically.

First-Year Experience — #7 Nationally

Baylor’s #7 national ranking for First-Year Experience (US News) reflects genuine investment in helping students succeed from day one. Baylor 101 (the first-year orientation program), Learning Communities, and dedicated academic advising for first-year students are among the components that produce Baylor’s strong retention and graduation rates. The #6 Learning Communities ranking confirms this — Baylor’s residential learning communities integrate academic content with residential life in ways that typical dormitory arrangements do not.

Student Organizations — 300+

Baylor has over 300 student organizations covering academic clubs, professional societies, Greek life (both traditional and Christian-specific fraternities and sororities), cultural organizations, ministry groups, intramural sports, and performing arts groups. The campus social scene is active and oriented around both the university community and increasingly around Waco’s revitalized downtown area.

Notable Baylor Alumni

Baylor’s alumni network spans government, entertainment, sports, and business:

• Robert Griffin III (RG3) — NFL quarterback, Heisman Trophy winner (2011), Baylor’s most famous modern athlete
• Angela Kinsey — actress, The Office
• Ann Richards — former Governor of Texas
• Chip and Joanna Gaines — entrepreneurs, HGTV hosts, founders of Magnolia Market
• Mike Leach — legendary college football coach (attended Baylor Law)

NCAA Division I Big 12 Athletics

Baylor competes in the NCAA Division I Big 12 Conference — one of the most competitive athletic conferences in college sports. The Bears compete in 19 intercollegiate sports. McLane Stadium (capacity 45,000) on the Brazos River is one of the most scenic football venues in college sports, and Baylor athletics has enjoyed a period of significant success across multiple programs over the past decade.

Recent athletic highlights include: Baylor football winning the 2022 Big 12 Championship, Baylor men’s basketball winning the 2021 NCAA National Championship, and strong performances in tennis, track and field, and women’s basketball. These achievements have raised Baylor’s national profile and energized campus athletics culture significantly.

Research and Career Outcomes

Baylor’s 2023 R1 classification marked a turning point in its research identity. Key research strengths include:

• Biomedical Sciences — NIH-funded research including the $1M+ grant for hypoxic-ischemic brain injury drug development led by Dr. Daniel Romo
• Environmental Science — Brazos River watershed research and ecological studies leveraging campus proximity to the river
• Data Science and Computing — Growing CS research in cybersecurity, biomedical computing, and AI applications
• Faith and Learning Integration — Baylor is a national leader in research at the intersection of religion, ethics, and public life through the Institute for Studies in Religion and the Baylor Religion Survey

Career outcomes:

• Graduate placement rate: 94.8% within 6 months of graduation
• Median alumni salary at 10 years: ~$65,793/year
• Top recruiters: AT&T, Dell, KPMG, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, PwC, Baylor Scott & White Health, Texas Instruments, and hundreds of Central Texas, DFW, and Austin-based employers
• Waco’s central location between DFW (100 miles) and Austin (100 miles) gives Baylor students access to two major job markets without living in either
• For international students on F-1 visas: OPT (12 months) and STEM OPT (36 months) are available post-graduation for qualifying programs

How Baylor Compares to Other Texas Universities

• For the #17-ranked private R1 in Houston with the most generous need-based aid and loan-free policy, see Rice University.
• For a private R1 in Dallas with smaller enrollment and DFW metro career access, see Southern Methodist University (SMU).
• For a private university in Fort Worth with Big 12 athletics, strong nursing programs, and 70% debt-free graduation, see Texas Christian University (TCU).
• For a private Lutheran university between Austin and San Antonio with 100% freshman aid, see Texas Lutheran University.
• For a comparison of the most affordable Texas university options, see our Cheapest Universities in Texas guide.
• For a full comparison of Texas university scholarship options, see Texas Universities with Full Scholarships.

Is Baylor Right For You?

Baylor University is a strong fit if you:

• Want an R1 research university in Texas with a genuine faith-integrated campus community and Baptist heritage
• Are you pursuing business (Hankamer AACSB), engineering, computer science, nursing, law, pre-health, or music
• Value a #7-nationally-ranked first-year experience and residential learning communities that set you up for a strong start
• Want. Big 12 athletics with national championship-level programs in football, basketball, and other sports
• Are you an. international student applying with no application fee and wants holistic merit scholarship consideration through a single admissions process
• Want Waco’s affordable cost of living (10% below national average) with access to both DFW and Austin within 100 miles
• Are drawn to the Chip and Joanna Gaines connection — Baylor’s campus and Waco’s Magnolia Market create a unique brand of Texas cultural cachet that resonates broadly

Baylor may not be ideal if you need the lowest possible tuition without scholarship support, prefer a secular university environment, want to live in a major metro city, or are seeking programs in highly specialized fields not offered across Baylor’s 12 colleges. The 51% acceptance rate means Baylor is accessible but not a certainty for all applicants.

How To Apply To Baylor University

1. Apply via Common App or goBAYLOR (baylor.edu/admissions) — no application fee for international undergraduates
2. Apply by November 1 (ED1) or January 1 (ED2) for best scholarship consideration; Regular Decision deadline February 1
3. Submit official high school transcripts and SAT/ACT scores
4. Complete required essays — Common App essay + Baylor supplemental
5. Submit English proficiency scores: TOEFL iBT 80+, IELTS 6.5+, Duolingo 110+, or PTE 60+
6. Submit CSS Profile for need-based financial aid consideration
7. Complete the FAFSA (domestic students) for federal aid eligibility
8. Receive a merit scholarship notification with your admission decision
9. Graduate applicants: pay a $50 application fee, submit transcripts, GRE/GMAT, LORs, SOP, and financial documentation
10. Receive an I-20 from Baylor International Student Services once admitted
11. Apply for an F-1 student visa — allow 2–3 months minimum for processing

Final Thoughts

Baylor University occupies a distinctive position in Texas higher education: the state’s oldest continuously operating university, now holding R1 research status, with AACSB business accreditation, ABA law accreditation, a 94.8% graduate placement rate, and Big 12 national championship athletics — all on a beautiful 1,000-acre campus in a Waco that has been genuinely transformed over the past decade. For students who want faith-integrated education at a research university with career outcomes that rival much larger institutions, Baylor makes a compelling case.

For current tuition, scholarship details, and application requirements, visit baylor.edu directly.

Have questions about Baylor University or comparing it with other Texas options? Drop them in the comments below.