- Acceptance rate: 74% for fall 2024
- Average high school GPA: 3.46, as reported by the college for 2025–26
- SAT, middle 50%: 590–670 reading and writing, 570–670 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 23–29 composite
- Average net price: $13,738 a year (2022–23)
University of Houston GPA calculator
On this page · 7 sections
How does your GPA compare?
Don't know your GPA? Check your GPA
Where you standEnter your GPA
Type your GPA to compare it with what University of Houston reported: an average GPA of 3.46 (2025–26), an acceptance rate of 74% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 23–29.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. University of Houston reviews each application.
University of Houston average GPA
University of Houston reported an average high school GPA of 3.46 for its first-year students who submitted one (98% did), in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether it's weighted or unweighted.
How their high school GPAs were spread:
| High school GPA | Share of first-year students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | |
| 3.75–3.99 | |
| 3.50–3.74 | |
| 3.25–3.49 | |
| 3.00–3.24 | |
| 2.50–2.99 | |
| 2.00–2.49 | |
| 1.00–1.99 |
An average, not a cutoffColleges calculate GPA in different ways, so these figures can't be compared directly with your own GPA.
University of Houston acceptance rate
University of Houston admitted 23,446 of 31,716 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 74%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
University of Houston is a public 4-year university in Houston, Texas, with 39,257 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered University of Houston in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 590 | 630 | 670 |
| SAT Math | 570 | 620 | 670 |
| ACT Composite | 23 | 26 | 29 |
| ACT English | 22 | 25 | 30 |
| ACT Math | 21 | 24 | 27 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1250 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What University of Houston looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Required |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Required |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Considered if submitted |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Considered if submitted |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Considered if submitted |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Not considered |
AP credit
University of Houston awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It doesn't award credit for life experience.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $13,738 a year at University of Houston in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have a chance at the University of Houston with a 3.0 GPA?
It would be on the low side there: 10.7% of University of Houston's first-year students who submitted a GPA had one below 3.0, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set, and it admitted 74% of applicants for fall 2024. Colleges calculate GPA in different ways, so compare on the same scale and look at your courses and test scores too.
What SAT and ACT scores do the University of Houston students have?
The middle 50% of University of Houston's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 590–670 in reading and writing and 570–670 in math; ACT composite 23–29, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
Do you need SAT or ACT scores to apply to the University of Houston?
No. University of Houston is test optional: it considers SAT or ACT scores if you send them, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 46% sent SAT scores and 13% sent ACT scores.
How important is GPA for getting into the University of Houston?
A lot: University of Houston requires high school GPA, high school record, high school class rank and college preparatory program. It considers recommendations, essay or personal statement, test scores, demonstration of competencies and work experience if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests and legacy status. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
How hard is it to get into the University of Houston?
Moderately selective: more than half of applicants got in. University of Houston admitted 74% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
What percent of applicants does the University of Houston accept?
University of Houston's acceptance rate was 74% for fall 2024: it admitted 23,446 of 31,716 first-year applicants, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education.
What GPA does the University of Houston look for?
University of Houston doesn't set a minimum GPA we could verify. Its first-year students averaged 3.46, as reported by the college in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether that average is weighted or unweighted.
What share of the University of Houston students had a 3.5 GPA or higher?
51.5% of University of Houston's first-year students who submitted a high school GPA had 3.50 or higher, and the largest group (27%) had 3.50–3.74, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether these GPAs are weighted or unweighted.
Can you get college credit for AP scores at the University of Houston?
Yes. University of Houston awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
What do students pay at the University of Houston after grants?
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $13,738 a year at University of Houston in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Before you apply, check the University of Houston's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: University of HoustonU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- University of Houston Common Data Set 2025–26University of Houston: average high school GPA of first-year students and how their GPAs were spread.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
Similar colleges in Texas
With a similar acceptance rate and size.
- Texas Tech UniversityFairly easy · 73% admitted
- University of North TexasFairly easy · 72% admitted
- The University of Texas at ArlingtonEasy · 80% admitted
- The University of Texas at San AntonioEasy · 87% admitted
- The University of Texas at DallasFairly easy · 65% admitted
- Texas State UniversityEasy · 89% admitted