University of Texas at Dallas vs University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at Dallas, located in Richardson, Texas, is a public research institution enrolling about 30,000-31,000 students. The school has a moderately selective acceptance rate of roughly 65%, making admission fairly accessible for qualified applicants. UT Dallas is well-known for its programs in Engineering, Computer Science, Business, and Natural Sciences. The school has an average graduation rate of around 70-72%, while graduates of UT Dallas enjoy early career salaries of approximately INR 28-32 lakhs annually (£25,000-29,000).

The University of Texas at Austin, located in Austin, Texas, is a large public flagship research university enrolling over 50,000 students. UT Austin has a much more selective acceptance rate of about 29%, making admission significantly more competitive. The university is best known for its programs in Engineering, Business, Liberal Arts, and Law. The school's average graduation rate is close to 80-82%, while graduates of UT Austin enjoy early career wages of approximately INR 40-45 lakhs annually (£35,000-38,000).

Overview Comparison
University of Texas DallasUniversity of Texas
Collegedunia Score5.1 Out of 104.1 Out of 10
ranking (overall)# 597 QS World University 2026
# 54 Financial Times 2025
# 401 Times Higher Education 2025
# 68 QS World University 2026
# 36 Center for World University Rankings 2025
# 50 Times Higher Education 2025
Subject Strength# 85 for Engineering by US News 2025
# 301 for Medicine by QS World University 2025
# 39 for Law by Academy Ranking of World Universities 2021
# 9 for Engineering by US News 2025
# 148 for Medicine by QS World University 2025
# 14 for Law by US News 2025
ProgramsUG Programs -34
PG Programs -48
UG Programs -80
PG Programs -83
Acceptance Rate65.0 %31.0 %
Exam ScoreDuolingo-105
IELTS-6.5
PTE-67
TOEFL-80
IELTS-6.5
SAT-1230
TOEFL-79
Cost to StudyAverage Tuition Fees   39776
[For UG Program]
Average Tuition Fees  36144
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 10369 Per Year
Average Tuition Fees   44450
[For UG Program]
Average Tuition Fees  27216
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 12286 Per Year
placement (average package)

Top recruiters: Ebay, IBM, Amazon, Google, Cisco, Samsung, and Microsofty

Base Salaries are given below:

  • MBA: $145,000 
  • Bachelor of Science: $99,000 
  • Masters in Science: $87,000

QS Graduate Employability Rankings- #54;
Average Salary- 75,865 USD;
Top recruiters- UT Austin, Dell Inc., IBM Corp., Lockheed Martin Corp, Indeed Inc.;
Highest paying degrees- BBA (179,000 USD), MBA (165,000 USD), Executive MBA (155,000 USD), Masters in Science (107,000 USD)


application requirements

LORs along with applications are not mandatorily required. Choice of writing an essay on one of the two topics. GPA requirement- 2.5 (77-79%). 

Submit official transcripts of all previous education

Submit English language proficiency test scores

Check program specific requirements

CollegeDunia Reviews7.4/10 Read 26 reviews8.1/10 Read 15 reviews

Top Courses Comparison

Top Courses Comparison

ranking# 91 for Business by QS World University 2026
# 31 for Business by US News 2025
# 401 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025
# 16 for Business by US News 2025
# 51 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025
# 53 for Business by QS World University 2025
exam scoresDuolingo - 105/160GRE - 308/340IELTS - 6.5/9PTE - 67/90TOEFL - 80/120GMAT - 650/800GRE - 318/340IELTS - 7.5/9TOEFL - 105/120
cost to studyTotal Cost (Tuition + Living) -60267Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -63704
Return on Investment/Average Package#Average Salary#Average Salary130000
documents required#Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose#Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose
application datesJan 15, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline for 2026)
Feb 20, 2026 (Round 2 Decision Delivered for 2026)
Mar 1, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline for 2026)
Apr 15, 2026 (Round 3 Decision Delivered for 2026)
May 1, 2026 (Round 4 Application Deadline for 2026)
Jun 15, 2026 (Round 4 Decision Delivered for 2026)
Oct 15, 2026 (Round 1 Application Deadline for 2026)
Dec 15, 2026 (Round 1 Decision Delivered for 2026)
Oct 15, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline for 2026 Intake)
Dec 17, 2025 (Decision Notification for Round 1)
Jan 15, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline for 2026 Intake)
Mar 27, 2026 (Decision Notification for Round 2)
Apr 1, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline for 2026 Intake)
Apr 9, 2026 (Decision Notification for Round 3)
May 15, 2026 (Round 4 Application Deadline for 2026 Intake)
Jun 5, 2026 (Decision Notification for Round 4)
General Facts Comparison
General FactsUniversity of Texas DallasUniversity of Texas
Type of UniversityUniversity
University
Established1969
1883
Student:Faculty Ratio25:1
19:1
Male:Female57% Male, 43% Female47% Male, 53% Female
Location Facts

Located in a prime location, one of the largest metropolitan and second-largest state, it is connected with two airports.
Richardson is called the telecom center, is home to various tech companies. As per Fortune 500 reported 10 of these companies as most profitable


Main Campus in central Austin; J. J. Pickle Research Campus in north Austin. The main campus has 150 building with its main visible feature as Beaux-Arts main Building. Some of the nearby areas are Cameron Road, Hyde Park, Mueller, Tarrytown, Downtown Austin


Library

Total items: 3,097,715. Physical items: 1,354,580 and Electronic items: 1,743,135. microform: 660,402.e-journals and newspapers: 165,725. 


For more than 125 years, the University of Texas Libraries have committed to building one of the greatest library collections in the world. Maintaining more than 10 million volumes and providing access to the latest digital journals, databases and web resources, the Libraries collects and preserves the finest achievements of human knowledge in support of not only research and instruction needs, but also the exploration of ideas and intellectual innovation.


Campus Life

There are 300 students organization, sororities, fraternities, sports clubs, recreational clubs, and others. There are various student voluntarism opportunities are available. Various donation drives, such as book drive, hygiene drive, food drive, pet food drive, blood drive, etc are also included as a part of volunteerism.  


1,300+ student organizations, Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art, Harry Ransom Center, Texas Memorial Museum, Natural Science Center, UT Tower are all offered to students for indulging in their passion. There are over 10 dining halls within the campus. 


Hostel#Double Room-Per Sem - $3825
#Single Room - Per Sem - $4725
#Room & Board (including Meals) - $12286
Famous Alumni

James F. Reilly (NASA Astronaut), Michael Burgess (US Republic Representative), Eric Hansen (Canadian Chess Player), Aziz Sancar (Nobel laureate in Chemistry), Denis Scheck (Literary Critic), Naveen Jindal (Jindal Steel and Power Ltd), etc. 


482,000+ alumni; Matthew McConaughey (American actor); Owen Wilson (American Actor), Rex W. Tillerson (Former United States Secretary of State), Neil deGrasse Tyson (American astrophysicist), Lady Bird Johnson (Former First Lady of the United States)


City Life

The university is located in Richardson, Texas. Some of the major attractions are Chinatown, North Texas Automotive Museum, Eisman Center for the Performing Arts. The cost of living at Richardson is low, and is connected through Forth Worth- Dallas International Airport. The unemployment rate for Richardson is 2.90%


The city bursts with an entrepreneurial spirit and has internationally renowned music, film and art scenes. The spring-fed waters of Barton and greenbelt trails make the city a perfect destination for outdoor creation. The unemployment rate of the city is 6.7 as of July 2020. Being one of the fastest-growing metros, it offers a great opportunities for students.


Weather
Comparison Notes

University of Texas at Dallas vs University of Texas at Austin

Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)

The University of Texas at Dallas is included among the top 200-300 U.S. universities, known for its strengths in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, and STEM fields. UT Dallas is steadily improving its national standing, particularly in program level rankings. The University of Texas at Austin is a globally recognized institution, often ranked among the top 50-70 universities in the world, with especially strong reputations in Engineering, Business, Liberal Arts, and Law.

General Information

UT Dallas is a medium?large public research university situated in Richardson, Texas, offering a broad array of undergraduate and graduate programs, and serving about 30,000 students. UT Austin is significantly larger, offering more academic programs, research facilities, and a flagship public university experience in Austin, Texas, serving over 50,000 students.

Acceptance Rate & Admissions

UT Dallas has a relatively high acceptance rate of ~65%, making it less selective compared to its peers. UT Austin has a low acceptance rate of ~29%, making it quite competitive; out-of-state and international applicants face even more stringent competition.

Research Impact & Facilities

UT Dallas is Carnegie R1, with growing research output, especially in STEM, computer science, and business. It has investment in modern labs and research infrastructure. UT Austin is also a Carnegie R1 institution with very high research activity across many fields, with top-ranked graduate programs, state-of-the-art facilities, and a strong global academic footprint.

Cost & Financial Aid

For international students / out-of-state, UT Dallas’s tuition is somewhat lower or comparable to UT Austin, with UT Dallas offering more generous merit / scholarship aid depending on program. UT Austin’s tuition and fees are higher (especially for out-of-state/international students), and cost of living in Austin also tends to be higher. Both universities offer financial aid and merit scholarships, but UT Dallas may offer greater relative aid/shadow of lower cost for certain students.

Career Destinations & Graduates’ Success

UT Dallas graduates often go into technology, engineering, business roles, making use of its STEM emphasis and proximity to the Dallas-Fort Worth job market. UT Austin graduates typically command higher early-career salaries, with strong placement in business, engineering, law, and liberal arts; the prestige, alumni network, and Austin’s startup & tech ecosystem also boost opportunities.