University of Houston-Downtown
Houston, Texas
A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.
Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
The numbers behind the verdict
Lifetime ROI: the long view
Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.
Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.
Equity & access
Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.
11% gap between the two groups
18% gap between the two groups
13% gap between the two groups
Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.
Net price by family income
What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.
| Family income | Average net price / yr |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30k | $9,439 |
| $30k–$48k | $10,048 |
| $48k–$75k | $11,247 |
| $75k–$110k | $15,488 |
| $110k+ | $19,380 |
How University of Houston-Downtown compares
This college against the Texas and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.
Graduate earnings over time
Median earnings of University of Houston-Downtown students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.
Best-paying majors at University of Houston-Downtown
Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.
| Major | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians | Associate's | $81,769 | — | +1,644% | Strong return |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Associate's | $90,280 | $15,830 | +1,586% | Strong return |
| Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians | Associate's | $73,975 | — | +1,274% | Strong return |
| Management Information Systems and Services | Associate's | $79,853 | $18,750 | +1,149% | Strong return |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Associate's | $77,451 | $19,545 | +1,051% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's | $71,241 | $21,875 | +803% | Strong return |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Certificate | $92,757 | $40,760 | +738% | Strong return |
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | Associate's | $71,630 | $34,208 | +694% | Strong return |
| Accounting and Related Services | Associate's | $67,119 | $19,750 | +682% | Strong return |
| International Business | Associate's | $63,587 | $14,000 | +610% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Certificate | $84,229 | $41,000 | +587% | Strong return |
| Business/Commerce, General | Associate's | $63,971 | $20,099 | +568% | Strong return |
| Marketing | Associate's | $61,531 | $17,000 | +506% | Strong return |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | Associate's | $60,836 | $21,765 | +446% | Strong return |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Associate's | $59,058 | $18,750 | +404% | Strong return |
| Chemistry | Associate's | $54,946 | — | +372% | Strong return |
| Social Work | Associate's | $58,711 | $21,948 | +372% | Strong return |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Associate's | $55,229 | $19,815 | +261% | Strong return |
| History | Associate's | $53,715 | $20,000 | +207% | Strong return |
| Psychology, General | Associate's | $51,370 | $18,750 | +128% | Strong return |
| Communication and Media Studies | Associate's | $51,762 | $23,455 | +128% | Strong return |
| Political Science and Government | Associate's | $51,203 | $20,646 | +117% | Strong return |
| Social Sciences, General | Associate's | $48,194 | $21,452 | +11% | Break-even |
| English Language and Literature, General | Associate's | $43,319 | $23,000 | -157% | Poor return |
| Biology, General | Associate's | $41,923 | $21,527 | -206% | Poor return |
Calculate your own ROI
Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.
ROI at University of Houston-Downtown
Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.
Admissions & profile
Location
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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