More selective than 33% of Texas colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $45,904. College Scorecard.
Higher than 51% of Texas colleges we cover and 35% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 62% of Texas colleges we cover and 55% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Hardin-Simmons University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 2,452 applicants, Hardin-Simmons University admitted 2,367 and 356 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1010–1190 on the SAT or 19–26 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Hardin-Simmons University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: Texas residents with financial need attending eligible private nonprofit Texas colleges may receive a Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG); amounts are set each year. Not included in the prices above. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (College for All Texans)
What Hardin-Simmons University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Hardin-Simmons University took 4.2 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Texas. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $13,822 | $58,605 | 2.8 years |
| $30–48k | $15,190 | $64,406 | 3.0 years |
| $48–75k | $17,248 | $73,132 | 3.4 years |
| $75–110k | $18,182 | $77,092 | 3.6 years |
| $110k+ | $25,639 | $108,709 | 5.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (39% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($54,771) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TX (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $21,255 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Hardin-Simmons University majors, earnings & careers
Hardin-Simmons University offers 46 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 10
- Business & Finance · 7
- Science & Math · 7
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 7
- Arts & Design · 5
- Health & Medicine · 4
- Communications & Media · 2
- Education · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
Highest-earning majors at Hardin-Simmons University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $90,276 | — |
| Finance | $72,425 | — |
| Biology | $52,005 | $26,500 |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | $51,722 | $27,709 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $50,560 | $26,850 |
| Criminal Justice | $49,389 | $28,000 |
| Business Administration | $48,112 | $24,290 |
| Psychology | $47,423 | $26,695 |
Quick list of all 46 majors
- Accounting—
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)—
- Arts and Entertainment Management—
- Bible Studies—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$52,005
- Business Administration$48,112
- Chemistry—
- Communications—
- Computer Programming—
- Criminal Justice$49,389
- Economics—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Education (Subject Teaching)$51,722
- English—
- Finance$72,425
- Geology / Earth Science—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- History—
- Human Computer Interaction—
- Human Services—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$50,560
- Management Information Systems—
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Marketing—
- Mathematics—
- Music—
- Nursing$90,276
- Philosophy—
- Physical Sciences—
- Physics—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$47,423
- Psychology (Clinical / Counseling)—
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Religious Music and Worship—
- Religious Studies—
- Social Work—
- Sociology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders—
- Studio Art—
- Theatre—
- Theology / Ministry—
- Writing—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Education (Subject Teaching) → High school teacher
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 0.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Abilene
Overall prices in the Abilene, TX area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,310. Housing costs 26% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 24 inches of rain a year, 4 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Taylor County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Taylor County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Hardin-Simmons University with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Texas by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardin-Simmons University | 90% | $19,555 | 46% | $54,771 | This school |
| Concordia University Texas | 91% | $23,131 | 45% | $60,883 | |
| Schreiner University | 88% | $21,507 | 43% | $52,228 | |
| Nelson University | 89% | $21,662 | 42% | $46,238 | |
| Texas Lutheran University | 96% | $24,654 | 54% | $53,863 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Hardin-Simmons University would cost you $3,576 less per year than Concordia University Texas, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Hardin-Simmons University, mostly from more Hardin-Simmons University students living at home, which lowers its average (−$13,980).
- Concordia University Texas gives aided families $3,540 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Texas resident | Hardin-Simmons University | CTX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $32,960 | $23,500 | +$9,460 |
| Books & supplies | $1,060 | $800 | +$260 |
| Housing & meals | $10,634 | $12,940 | −$2,306 |
| Personal & travel | $3,302 | $3,852 | −$550 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,052 | +$11,928 | −$13,980 |
| Sticker price | $45,904 | $53,020 | −$7,116 |
| Average grants | −$26,349 | −$29,889 | +$3,540 |
| You pay | $19,555 | $23,131 | −$3,576 |
“+” means Hardin-Simmons University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Hardin-Simmons University
What is the Hardin-Simmons University acceptance rate?
Hardin-Simmons University accepts 90% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 2,367 of 2,452 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1010–1190 on the SAT or 19–26 on the ACT.
How much does Hardin-Simmons University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $45,904 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $19,555 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $13,822 and families earning $110k+ pay $25,639.
How much do Hardin-Simmons University graduates earn?
Former Hardin-Simmons University students earn a median $54,771 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Hardin-Simmons University graduation rate?
46% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 65% return for their second year.
How long does a Hardin-Simmons University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Hardin-Simmons University costs about $73,132 after grants ($17,248 a year for 4.2 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $54,771 ten years after starting, $21,255 more than high school graduates in Texas ($33,516), so the cost is repaid in 3.4 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is Hardin-Simmons University the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Hardin-Simmons University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/hardin-simmons-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).