Tarleton State University

Public · Moderately Selective · TX

Photo: Michael Barera (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationTX · South

SettingRural

Undergrads12,673

Student:faculty20:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate33%

6-yr grad rate48.2%

Drop-out rate30.2%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$8k

Out-of-state tuition$18k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity37.2%

Gender diversity61%

International0.6%

Identity—

Overview

Tarleton State University, in Stephenville — self-styled the "Cowboy Capital of the World" — southwest of Fort Worth, is a member of the Texas A&M University System with deep agricultural roots and a distinctly Western, rural character. It was founded through a bequest from rancher John Tarleton and has kept close ties to the surrounding ranching and dairy community ever since.

Academics

Agriculture, education, nursing, and criminal justice are the university's core strengths, reflecting both its heritage and the practical needs of the surrounding ranching community, and its animal science and equine programs draw students specifically for hands-on work with livestock and horses.

Campus & student life

Rodeo and Western heritage culture run through campus life — Tarleton's rodeo team competes nationally — and Stephenville's small-town setting gives the university a close-knit, agricultural-community feel distinct from the state's larger public flagships.

Getting in

Admission is accessible and grades-and-coursework focused, drawing many students from Texas's rural and agricultural regions as well as students seeking a smaller-scale A&M System campus with a genuine Western identity.

tarleton.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate89.5%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 980–1160 · ACT 19–24

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying