Prioritizing Affordability

The affordability of a college education is a topic of great interest and discussion across the country today. This topic is particularly relevant to private colleges and universities, like Baylor University, which are not supported by state funding and thus have higher tuition rates than public institutions.

Like our peers in Christian higher education, Baylor continues to be very intentional about making a Baylor degree within the financial reach of students from a multitude of backgrounds. Very few students pay the “sticker price” at Baylor, and beyond the price lies a world of difference in the type of education, the overall campus experience and the outcomes that students experience at Baylor.

Academically excellent students from across the country are drawn to Baylor because of our unique combination of a Christian mission and academic excellence in a mid-sized environment with deeply engaged students and Power Four athletics — qualities that are collectively unavailable at universities across the state and the nation.

Expanding access

Being entrusted with the care and success of so many young men and women means that we have a solemn responsibility to serve their best interests, among which is their financial well-being.

That is why one of the key strategies of Baylor’s strategic plan, Baylor in Deeds, is to expand access to a Baylor education to a wide range of student populations. We are doing this by strengthening existing affordability initiatives such as the Baylor Benefit Scholarship for students and families with household incomes of less than $50,000. We also are growing scholarship support among alumni, parents and friends of the University while maintaining our undergraduate enrollment at around 14,500 students to ensure that the full experience of a Baylor education remains robust.

Launched in 2025, the Extend the Line Scholarship Initiative aims to provide $250 million in new scholarships for Baylor students by the end of 2030. Such support —  which already exceeds $97 million in funds raised to date — opens the doors of higher education to thousands of Baylor students and empowers the next generation of leaders, thinkers and changemakers.

A degree in four years

Another top priority of the University is guiding our students to earn a degree in four years — one of the most important factors in affordability. Students who follow such a timeline save money in additional tuition, but they also enter graduate school or the workplace and begin fulfilling their earning potential in a more timely manner.

To help our students achieve this goal, we continue to develop and improve robust systems that actively guide undergraduate students toward graduation in four years. These programs range from the implementation of professional advisors in all academic units to the adaptation of an Arts & Sciences core curriculum and the creation of wintermester and discounted online and in-person summer classes that help students stay on track or get ahead.

As a result of our intentional work in this area, Baylor’s four-year graduation rate has increased 13.8% over the past eight years to a record of 77.3% in May 2025. With undergraduate retention remaining strong at a near-record level of 92.3%, more students are on pace to graduate within four years, thanks in part to the impact of these student success initiatives.

The power of endowed funds

We are deeply grateful to the many members of the Baylor Family who have come alongside the University to financially support our mission and the success of our students. This philanthropy, and our successful investment strategies, have allowed Baylor’s endowment to reach a new all-time high in June 2025, totaling $2.2 billion. 

In fiscal year 2025, Baylor’s endowment distributed $98 million to the University. Of those distributions, 43% went to student scholarships, 13% to professorships, 23% to academic programs and 21% to general use.

The task of advancing Baylor University in pursuit of excellence in Christian higher education is one that requires the steadfast support of the Baylor Family. Ongoing gifts from alumni and friends along with annual investment returns from the endowment portfolio are foundational to our ability to provide a transformational education to Baylor Bears from all walks of life and economic backgrounds for generations to come.
 

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President
Baylor University