Baylor University

Private · Moderately Selective · TX

Photo: Michael Barera (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationTX · South

SettingUrban

Undergrads14,785

Student:faculty15:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate68.1%

6-yr grad rate80%

Drop-out rate9%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$58k

Out-of-state tuition$58k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity40.4%

Gender diversity59.3%

International2.6%

IdentityBaptist

Overview

Baylor University, on the Brazos River in Waco, is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and a Baptist institution, affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, where active faith life is woven into everyday campus culture. Its research profile has grown markedly in recent years as part of a deliberate strategic push toward greater national research standing, pushing it toward a more prominent research reputation while retaining its religious identity and undergraduate focus. Waco itself has transformed over the past decade, partly thanks to the Magnolia/Gaines-driven tourism boom, into a more visible college-town destination.

Academics

Pre-health and business are Baylor's strongest and most recognized programs — the Hankamer School of Business has a long-standing reputation, and pre-med students benefit from a growing research infrastructure that now supports more graduate-level lab opportunities for undergraduates than in the past. Baylor Law School and George W. Truett Theological Seminary give the university professional and ministry-training depth beyond the undergraduate college. The curriculum blends serious academics with an explicitly Christian mission across the university, including required chapel and religion coursework for undergraduates.

Campus & student life

Big 12 athletics, especially football at McLane Stadium and a nationally prominent men's and women's basketball program, are central to campus identity, and the university's Baptist affiliation shapes a residential culture with visible chapel and faith programming built into student life. Waco itself has grown substantially as a college town, partly fueled by the university's own growth and partly by the tourism draw of the Magnolia empire built by Baylor alumni Chip and Joanna Gaines, which has reshaped downtown Waco around the Silo District.

Getting in

Baylor is holistic but competitive, particularly for pre-health tracks, and looks for students who will engage with its faith-based mission alongside strong academics; essays and application materials get real individual review rather than a pure-numbers cutoff. Demonstrated fit with the university's Christian identity, including comfort with chapel requirements, is a real factor in review, not just a formality attached to a secular admissions process.

After graduation

Graduates place strongly into medical school, law school, and business, aided by a large, loyal, and geographically concentrated Texas alumni network that stays actively engaged with the university long after graduation. Baylor Law School and the Truett Seminary also feed direct pipelines into Texas legal and ministry careers specifically, reinforcing the university's dense in-state professional network.

Worth knowing

Baylor's rising research profile is a relatively recent, deliberate shift worth knowing about — the university is investing heavily in research infrastructure while keeping its Baptist identity and undergraduate focus intact. Chapel attendance and religion coursework are real graduation requirements, not just cultural backdrop, so students should expect faith commitments woven into the academic requirements themselves, not just campus atmosphere.

baylor.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate51.3%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1200–1400 · ACT 27–32

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early actionNov 1

Regular decisionFeb 1

Verified from the school’s admissions page ↗

Applying