Source: IPEDS, as of September 29, 2026. Cost is resident tuition plus required fees, 2023-24.
Bachelor's Degrees in Texas
26
Meet the Ranking Threshold
21
Median Resident Tuition and Fees
$11,375
With a Fully Online Option
6
General Studies Bachelor's Degrees in Texas
Texas puts three general studies bachelor's degrees in the top 20 of the national bachelor's ranking, all public. Twenty-one programs meet the threshold, 16 public and 5 private, and 5 more private programs sit below it with 1 to 7 degrees each. Texas Tech University in Lubbock leads at 75.7, tenth nationally, with a Bachelor of General Studies that awarded 209 degrees in the latest year, graduates 69% and costs $11,852 a year in resident tuition and fees, online. The University of North Texas in Denton is 13th at 73.4 with its integrative studies degree, the largest at this level with 365 degrees, a 61% graduation rate and $11,164. West Texas A&M University in Canyon is 19th at 71.7 on its Bachelor of General Studies, graduating 55% at $9,101.
Behind them, the University of Texas at San Antonio scores 67.9 on a Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies at $9,279, Texas Woman's University 66.8 on its Bachelor of Science in Multidisciplinary Studies at $8,640 with 213 degrees, and Tarleton State University 62.9 at $7,878. Sul Ross State University in Alpine is the lowest-priced ranked program at $7,592.
Tuition and fees across the ranked 21 run from $7,592 at Sul Ross to $57,220 at Texas Christian University, whose 86% graduation rate is the highest on the list. The 16 public programs all charge between $7,592 and $11,852. Graduation rates run from 22% at Texas Southern University in Houston to TCU's 86%. Four of the 21 can be finished online.
The 21 Best General Studies Bachelor's Degrees in Texas
The best general studies bachelor's degrees in Texas are ranked below by their national score, from the national bachelor's degree ranking. The number on each card is the program's place in Texas. Each needed at least 10 graduates in the latest year to be ranked.
1
Texas Tech University
Bachelor of General Studies in Arts and Sciences Multidisciplinary Studies
Texas
75.7- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 69%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $11,852 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 209
About the Program
Three concentration areas take the place of a major in this degree, which is not based on a specific major or minor. Any academic minor recognized at TTU can serve as a concentration area, and the area then follows that minor's curriculum. When you use a minor as an area, you complete a defined set of courses with requirements the minor already sets out.
Two of your three concentration areas have to sit within the College of Arts & Sciences, which leaves one area you can take from elsewhere at TTU. That rule shapes the degree, because at least two of your three areas will be arts and sciences subjects. The program page describes a Business Administration path as one way to build the degree, so a business direction is on offer within those limits.
Forty of the 120 credits in the degree have to be at the junior or senior level, so lower-level credits you bring with you can't carry the whole degree. A language rule sits on top of that. If you didn't take two years of one foreign language in high school, you'll complete two semesters of a single foreign language at the first-year level or higher before you graduate, which adds courses to your plan.
Working adults and transfer students are who the degree was designed for, and everything runs 100% online and asynchronously. Tuition is priced by the credit hour, at $415 to $500, which means the tuition you pay depends on how many credit hours you still have to take.
2
University of North Texas
Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Integrative Studies
Texas
73.4- Public
- College graduation rate
- 61%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $11,164 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 365
About the Program
The Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Integrative Studies is built on three fields of study. You choose them yourself and complete 12 semester hours in each, 36 in all, but the choice has rules. One field must come from the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and you can't take two fields from the same college or school unless that college is Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.
Choosing the BA or the BS changes how far each field has to go. For the BS, at least 9 hours in each field must be advanced, and for the BA it's at least 6. Every course you use in the three fields needs a grade of C or better, and a course can't count toward both a field and a minor or double major, so adding a minor means extra courses, not reused ones.
If you're transferring, the major is built to use as many of the credits from other institutions as possible. But the rules on where you earn your hours still set a floor. Of the 120 semester hours, at least 30 must be taken at UNT, and of the 42 advanced semester hours, 24 must be taken at UNT. So count your advanced credits first. You can study on campus or online.
Graduates have gone into education, business, banking, counseling, administration, law, social media and marketing, and medicine, which tells you the degree doesn't point at one occupation. Two parts of the major help you aim it. An internship course was designed specifically for students in this major, and a focus in Strategic Corporate Communication combines Communication Studies, Journalism, Management and Technical Communication.
3
West Texas A & M University
Bachelor of General Studies (B.G.S.)
Texas
71.7- Public
- College graduation rate
- 55%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $9,101 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 175
About the Program
Electives are the degree. Beyond the core curriculum you complete a minimum of 78 hours of electives, and at least 36 of those hours have to be at the advanced level with a grade of C or better. So you can specialize in education, business or agriculture, but the advanced-level rule means you can't fill the degree with introductory courses. Some advanced coursework is available online.
No single discipline can take over, because a maximum of 36 hours in one academic discipline may count toward the degree. A discipline is designated by a course prefix, such as ENGL for English or POSC for political science, but music and education are each treated as one discipline whatever the prefix. So MUAP, MUEN, MUSI and MUMI hours all draw on the same 36, and the education prefixes do too.
Prior learning counts for a lot, since up to 84 hours of it is accepted, and you can complete those hours at your community college or get started at WT. That makes the degree a realistic finish if you've already done a good deal of college elsewhere. Advising runs through the Office of General Majors, which has a B.A.A.S./B.G.S. advisor, so ask early how your hours fit under the discipline cap.
4
The University of Texas at San Antonio
Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies
Texas
67.9- Public
- College graduation rate
- 53%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $9,279 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 173
About the Program
Three disciplines go into the Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies, and the degree expects you to make them a coherent course of study. You prove that at the end, because you complete a final project that addresses a question or problem relating to your three areas. The customized version requires at least 120 semester credit hours, at least 39 of them at the upper-division level.
You don't have to design the combination yourself. Alongside the Customized B.A., the degree comes in prescribed tracks such as Applied Data Science, Film and Media Studies, Game Design, and Hospitality and Events Management. Some tracks narrow further. Applied Data Science trains you in cyber intelligence, digital humanities or political science, while Spanish and Community Health pairs community health and well-being with Spanish health interpretation.
Declaring the major is simple, because there are no additional admission requirements beyond the university's general ones. One track is the exception. Strategic Leadership and Defense is currently limited to those in UTSA's Army ROTC or Air Force ROTC program. The degree is also offered 100% online.
If graduate school is in your plans, the university says you can intentionally pick focus areas that align with your intended graduate program, and it gives business, education, health, policy and communication as examples. That advice matters early, because your three disciplines are also the basis of your final project.
5
Texas Woman's University
Bachelor of Science in Multidisciplinary Studies (BSMDS)
Texas
66.8- Public
- College graduation rate
- 49%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $8,640 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 213
About the Program
Your concentration courses total 36 hours at the 3000-4000 level, divided between two or three areas, and the choice sets the depth. Two areas means 18 hours in each, while three means 12 in each. Areas include Business, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, English, Health Studies, History and Kinesiology. You'll take the Multidisciplinary Studies Capstone and complete a focused project related to your concentration areas.
Bringing credits with you works up to a line. Of the 120 hours total, 30 must be taken at TWU, and that reaches into the concentrations, where nine hours of each 18-hour area or six hours of each 12-hour area must be TWU courses. Dance, Music, Natural Sciences and Professional Education are harder to claim, because each needs program coordinator approval and at least 12 semester credit hours of 3000- or 4000-level courses already completed in the discipline.
Work experience can count here. Through the Multidisciplinary Studies Internship, you can turn existing experience into college credit, and the program director works with you to design a custom internship that aligns with your goals. That fits who the degree is aimed at, which is adult learners and part-time students, and you can complete it 100% online or face-to-face on campus. You'll face no extra foreign language or advanced math and science requirements.
6
Tarleton State University
Texas
62.9- Public
- College graduation rate
- 48%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $7,878 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 75
About the Program
Tarleton State University is a public university in Stephenville, Texas that enrolls 17,433 students. Some 75 bachelor's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 70% of the programs ranked alongside it. A 48% graduation rate puts the college at the 44th percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Tuition and fees are $7,878 a year for residents and $17,958 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 86% of programs at this level. Getting in is not automatic, because 90% of applicants are admitted. On price it does best, reaching the 86th percentile.
7
The University of Texas at Arlington
Texas
62.6- Public
- College graduation rate
- 54%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $11,727 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 237
About the Program
The University of Texas at Arlington is a public university in Arlington, Texas that enrolls 44,956 students. It conferred 237 bachelor's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 97% of the bachelor's programs ranked at this level. Its college-wide graduation rate is 54%, the 62nd percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Tuition and fees are $11,727 a year for residents and $29,659 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 36% of programs at this level. About 80% of applicants are admitted, so an application is not a formality. Strongest of its measures is the number of degrees it awards, which lands at the 97th percentile.
8
Texas State University
Texas
61.6- Public
- College graduation rate
- 55%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $11,450 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 128
About the Program
Texas State University is a public university in San Marcos, Texas that enrolls 40,674 students. The program's last federal report shows 128 bachelor's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 84 in every 100 programs measured here. A 55% graduation rate puts the college at the 66th percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Tuition and fees are $11,450 a year for residents and $23,210 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 36% of programs at this level. Applicants are admitted at a rate of 89%, which leaves room for a rejection. On the number of degrees it awards it does best, reaching the 84th percentile.
9
Texas Christian University
Texas
59.1- Private nonprofit
- College graduation rate
- 86%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $57,220 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 44
About the Program
Based in Fort Worth, Texas, Texas Christian University is a private nonprofit university with 12,938 students on its rolls. The program's last federal report shows 44 bachelor's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 57 in every 100 programs measured here. Its college-wide graduation rate is 86%, the 98th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Residents and nonresidents are both charged $57,220 a year in tuition and fees. Applicants are admitted at a rate of 44%, which leaves room for a rejection. Strongest of its measures is the graduation rate of its college, which lands at the 98th percentile.
10
East Texas A&M University
Bachelor of General Studies Courses
Texas
50.9- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 43%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $10,026 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 168
About the Program
Capstone work happens in a 3-hour course on designing your future as a leader. The capstone assignment is an action plan for after graduation, and you draw on skills, knowledge and key assignments to create it, which means the assignment looks ahead to what you do once you've graduated.
Projects in the internship course are identified by employers and then aligned with a curriculum. The catalog says they're typically completed within a 10 to 14 week period. Change and innovation are a classroom subject too, since a 3-hour course covers guiding change and innovation.
A 3-hour course covers research and writing. Project management has to be taken in order, because the advanced course, which covers scheduling and other project management tools, lists the foundations course as a prerequisite. That means you take Foundations of Project Management first.
11
University of St Thomas
Texas
49.5- Private nonprofit
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 69%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $33,660 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 17
About the Program
University of St Thomas is a private nonprofit university in Houston, Texas that enrolls 4,301 students. The program's last federal report shows 17 bachelor's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 18 in every 100 programs measured here. A 69% graduation rate puts the college at the 94th percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Tuition and fees hold at $33,660 a year whichever state you come from. Distance students can complete the whole degree online, so where you live matters less here. Applicants are admitted at a rate of 90%, which leaves room for a rejection. Strongest of its measures is the graduation rate of its college, which lands at the 94th percentile.
12
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Texas
48.1- Public
- College graduation rate
- 42%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $9,892 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 132
About the Program
Based in Kingsville, Texas, Texas A&M University-Kingsville is a public university with 6,864 students on its rolls. Some 132 bachelor's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 85% of the programs ranked alongside it. Of the students who start at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, 42% graduate, and that beats 28 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Residents pay $9,892 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $26,106. Getting in is not automatic, because 91% of applicants are admitted. Its strongest mark is the number of degrees it awards, at the 85th percentile.
13
Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Texas
44.5- Public
- College graduation rate
- 40%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $9,354 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 55
About the Program
San Antonio, Texas is home to Texas A&M University-San Antonio, a public university of 7,956 students. Some 55 bachelor's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 61% of the programs ranked alongside it. Its college-wide graduation rate is 40%, the 25th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Tuition and fees are $9,354 a year for residents and $23,164 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 60% of programs at this level. Getting in is not automatic, because 93% of applicants are admitted. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 61st percentile.
14
Texas Southern University
Texas
41.6- Public
- HBCU
- College graduation rate
- 22%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $8,637 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 86
About the Program
Texas Southern University is a historically Black public university in Houston, Texas that enrolls 8,704 students. It conferred 86 bachelor's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 74% of the bachelor's programs ranked at this level. Its college-wide graduation rate is 22%, the 2nd percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Tuition and fees are $8,637 a year for residents and $20,397 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 73% of programs at this level. Admission is close to open, with 97% of applicants accepted. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 74th percentile.
15
Prairie View A & M University
Texas
40.1- Public
- HBCU
- College graduation rate
- 43%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $11,299 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 44
About the Program
Based in Prairie View, Texas, Prairie View A & M University is a historically Black public university with 9,922 students on its rolls. It conferred 44 bachelor's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 57% of the bachelor's programs ranked at this level. Across the whole college, 43% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 31% of the institutions behind this list. Tuition and fees are $11,299 a year for residents and $26,874 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 39% of programs at this level. Getting in is not automatic, because 79% of applicants are admitted. Its strongest mark is the number of degrees it awards, at the 57th percentile.
16
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Texas
35.9- Private nonprofit
- College graduation rate
- 49%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $33,280 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 33
About the Program
Belton, Texas is home to University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, a private nonprofit university of 3,321 students. During the most recent year on record it awarded 33 bachelor's degrees, a count at the 46th percentile for size. Across the whole college, 49% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 48% of the institutions behind this list. Every student pays $33,280 a year in tuition and fees, since the institution sets one rate. Admission is close to open, with 96% of applicants accepted. On the graduation rate of its college it does best, reaching the 48th percentile.
17
Texas A&M University-Texarkana
Texas
34.3- Public
- College graduation rate
- 30%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $7,930 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 18
About the Program
Some 2,412 students attend Texas A&M University-Texarkana, a public university in Texarkana, Texas. During the most recent year on record it awarded 18 bachelor's degrees, a count at the 22nd percentile for size. Across the whole college, 30% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 8% of the institutions behind this list. Tuition and fees are $7,930 a year for residents and $20,947 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 84% of programs at this level. Admission is selective enough to plan for, with 64% of applicants accepted. Its strongest mark is price, at the 84th percentile.
18
Sul Ross State University
Texas
33.2- Public
- College graduation rate
- 30%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $7,592 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 15
About the Program
Sul Ross State University is a public university in Alpine, Texas that enrolls 2,384 students. The program's last federal report shows 15 bachelor's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 13 in every 100 programs measured here. Its college-wide graduation rate is 30%, the 8th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Tuition and fees are $7,592 a year for residents and $17,384 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 88% of programs at this level. Getting in is rarely the obstacle, with 99% of applicants admitted. Strongest of its measures is price, which lands at the 88th percentile.
19
Lamar University
Texas
30.1- Public
- College graduation rate
- 37%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $8,904 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 13
About the Program
Beaumont, Texas is home to Lamar University, a public university of 17,772 students. It conferred 13 bachelor's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 9% of the bachelor's programs ranked at this level. Of the students who start at Lamar University, 37% graduate, and that beats 18 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Expect tuition and fees of $8,904 a year as a resident and $18,696 otherwise. Getting in is not automatic, because 86% of applicants are admitted. What lifts it most is price, where it reaches the 66th percentile.
20
Nelson University
Texas
29.8- Private nonprofit
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 42%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $18,610 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 29
About the Program
Based in Waxahachie, Texas, Nelson University is a private nonprofit university with 1,794 students on its rolls. Some 29 bachelor's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 42% of the programs ranked alongside it. Of the students who start at Nelson University, 42% graduate, and that beats 28 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Tuition and fees are $18,610 a year for every student, residents and nonresidents alike. The degree can be finished entirely online, which suits anyone who cannot move or stop working. Getting in is not automatic, because 89% of applicants are admitted. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 42nd percentile.
21
Paul Quinn College
Texas
12.5- Private nonprofit
- HBCU
- College graduation rate
- 27%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $13,498 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 12
About the Program
Paul Quinn College is a historically Black private nonprofit college in Dallas, Texas that enrolls 628 students. Some 12 bachelor's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 6% of the programs ranked alongside it. A 27% graduation rate puts the college at the 5th percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Every student pays $13,498 a year in tuition and fees, since the institution sets one rate. About 40% of applicants are admitted, so an application is not a formality. Its strongest mark is price, at the 28th percentile.
Other General Studies Bachelor's Degrees in Texas
The other general studies bachelor's degrees in Texas awarded fewer than 10 degrees in the latest year or did not report a figure the ranking uses, so they are listed here without a score. That says something about size and nothing on its own about quality.
| College | Degrees Awarded | Graduation Rate | Tuition and Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Adventist University, Keene | 7 | 52% | $24,588 |
| Arlington Baptist University, Arlington | 4 | 19% | $18,012 |
| Howard Payne University, Brownwood | 4 | 28% | $33,402 |
| St. Mary's University, San Antonio | 1 | 59% | $36,242 |
| Wayland Baptist University, Plainview | 1 | 19% | $23,186 |
Source: IPEDS, as of September 29, 2026. Graduation rate is the college's, for first-time, full-time students.
How Much Does a General Studies Bachelor's Degree Cost in Texas?
A general studies bachelor's degree in Texas costs a median of $11,375 a year in resident tuition and required fees for 2023-24 across the 26 programs, and the 16 public universities all sit inside a $7,592 to $11,852 band: Sul Ross State at the bottom, Tarleton State at $7,878 and Texas Woman's at $8,640, up to Texas Tech at $11,852. Non-residents pay far more at the public universities, $17,384 at Sul Ross and $24,451 at Texas Tech. The ten private programs run from Paul Quinn College at $13,498 through the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor at $33,280 and the University of St Thomas at $33,660 to Texas Christian University at $57,220.
Texas's state grant for the general studies route, the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant, is written for the two-year stage. Its purpose is to provide financial aid to eligible students attending Texas two-year public institutions of higher education, and an initial award requires you to be enrolled in the first 45 attempted semester credit hours. So it pays during your community college years and stops at the university door. At the university, ask the aid office about transfer scholarships before you accept admission.
How Does Credit Transfer Into a General Studies Bachelor's Degree in Texas?
Credit transfers into a general studies bachelor's degree in Texas with the general education core settled by statute at the 16 public universities, and on each college's own terms at the 10 private ones. Under Texas Education Code Section 61.822, a completed core of at least 42 semester credit hours may be transferred to any other institution of higher education and must be substituted for the receiving institution's core curriculum. If you arrive without the full core, you still receive academic credit from the receiving institution for each of the courses that the student has successfully completed in the core curriculum.
For the major itself, Section 61.823 adds the Field of Study Curriculum: if a student successfully completes a field of study curriculum developed by the board, that block of courses may be transferred to a general academic teaching institution and substitutes for the matching program's lower-division requirements. General studies degrees pull from several fields, so ask the university whether a Field of Study Curriculum covers the concentrations you'll build the degree from. Everything else rides on the board's common course numbering system for lower-division courses.
Texas Christian, St Thomas, Mary Hardin-Baylor and the other private programs sit outside Section 61.822, so they decide for themselves what a 42-hour core is worth. Get a written evaluation from any private college before you enroll.
What Do Jobs With a General Studies Bachelor's Degree Pay in Texas?
Jobs open to a general studies bachelor's degree in Texas pay the state medians below, from the May 2025 federal wage survey, with the national median beside each for comparison. Each row links to the salary guide for that job.
How to Choose a General Studies Bachelor's Degree Program in Texas
How to choose a general studies bachelor's degree program in Texas starts with the 16 public universities, because they bracket the price between $7,592 and $11,852 with graduation rates from 22% to 69% inside that band. Texas Tech's 69% at $11,852 and the University of North Texas's 61% at $11,164 lead. Further down the price list, West Texas A&M graduates 55% at $9,101, the University of Texas at San Antonio 53% at $9,279 and Texas Woman's 49% at $8,640, while Texas Southern graduates 22% at $8,637 and Texas A&M-Texarkana and Sul Ross State 30%. The private programs trade price for completion: Texas Christian graduates 86% at $57,220 and the University of St Thomas 69% at $33,660.
Texas Tech, East Texas A&M, the University of St Thomas and Nelson University are the four ranked programs you can finish online. If you're transferring in, arrive with the 42-hour core curriculum complete, since a completed core must be substituted for the receiving institution's core curriculum at any Texas public university, and ask whether a Field of Study Curriculum covers your concentration. Then ask how many of your remaining credits count toward the major itself and how many must be taken in residence.
If you're starting with an associate degree, the general studies associate degrees in Texas have their own page.