Public
Accredited · Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Odessa, Texas
84.5% Acceptance Rate
The University of Texas Permian Basin — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
84.5%Acceptance Rate
3.27Avg GPA
1031Avg SAT
18Avg ACT
$21,727Annual Cost
$56,073Grad Salary
35.6%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
84.5%
Avg GPA
3.27
Avg SAT
1031
Avg ACT
18
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
SAT Middle 50%
910–1110
ACT Middle 50%
16–20
Avg Net Price
$9,144
Need-Based Aid
35.6% receive Pell
The University of Texas Permian Basin is a public university that provides accessible and high-quality education to the residents of West Texas. Known for its commitment to student success and regional economic development, the university offers a wide range of academic programs designed to prepare students for professional life and leadership.
The University of Texas Permian Basin Acceptance Rate
Admission at The University of Texas Permian Basin is inclusive by design: 84.5% of applicants who meet basic eligibility are accepted.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in — worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 84.5% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.27 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.07 – 3.26
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.82
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
The University of Texas Permian Basin Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The University of Texas Permian Basin follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline, though the priority deadline of February 1 is recommended for the best chances of admission and financial aid.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 189 days left — Priority (Fall)
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
UT Permian Basin reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
Priority (Fall)
February 1
💡 The scholarship deadline (2026/02/01 (Scholarship priority)) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
UT Permian Basin GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at UT Permian Basin is 3.27. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 2.97–3.27 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
Note the scale: this figure reflects an unweighted 4.0 GPA. Add AP or IB coursework and the equivalent weighted GPA usually lands around 3.47–3.67.UT Permian Basin GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Admission here leans heavily on holistic review.
Recommended Strategy: Leans on context — leadership, personal circumstances, or a standout talent.
This range is a rough map — where you land determines what else needs to carry weight in your application:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.27 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.07 – 3.26
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.87 – 3.06
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.86
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Automatic admission: 3.0+ unweighted GPA or top 25% class rank; fully test-optional (SAT/ACT only boosts scholarship tier, not admission decision); no essay or letter of recommendation required
- Petroleum Engineering ranked #8 worldwide / #6 nationwide in undergraduate enrollment; ABET-accredited; tied to the CEED building's Petroleum Industry Alliance and Texas Water & Energy Institute
- Merit scholarships automatic upon admission (apply by April 15), but require registering for Orientation by June 1 to actually claim the award; renewable 4 years at 2.5+ GPA, 12+ credit hours/semester
- Falcon Free program guarantees full tuition (first-come, first-served, FAFSA due July 15) specifically for Petroleum Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Nursing, Kinesiology, or Industrial Technology majors
- Rigor Over Raw Number: Course rigor is read alongside the number itself — a 3.8 with a demanding schedule can beat a 4.0 without one.
- Trajectory Matters: Grades that climb toward graduation tend to matter more than a flat average — the trajectory tells its own story.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at UT Permian Basin
Admission Chance Predictor
Built from The University of Texas Permian Basin's own verified admissions data — adjust the sliders below
--%
Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
The University of Texas Permian Basin (UT Permian Basin) Test Requirements
Scores aren't just a formality at UT Permian Basin — landing within or above the 2026 admitted class's middle 50% keeps you fully competitive, even where submission is optional.
Can I Get Into UT Permian Basin Without SAT or ACT?
UT Permian Basin considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt — most applicants test 2–3 times.
The University of Texas Permian Basin Average SAT Score: 1031
Admitted students at The University of Texas Permian Basin average a 1031 SAT (out of 1600).
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1031 — Accessible
A 1031 average means even a modest SAT score can strengthen your application.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1110 SAT or 20 ACT) to stand out. Below average? The University of Texas Permian Basin allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
Scored under 910? A retake is worth it at UT Permian Basin — two or three sittings is standard for competitive applicants, and there's no cap on how many times you can test.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 495 | 440 | 550 |
| SAT Reading | 515 | 470 | 560 |
| SAT Composite | 1031 | 910 | 1110 |
A score under 910 puts you in the lower quarter of admits; 1110+ puts you ahead of three-quarters of the admitted class. (These percentiles mark where a given share of the admitted class scored at or below.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1050
Can I get into The University of Texas Permian Basin (UT Permian Basin) with a 1100 SAT?
At 1100, your SAT is squarely in UT Permian Basin's favor. That said, admissions staff read the full file — GPA, activities, and essays still carry real weight even with a strong score in hand.
The University of Texas Permian Basin (UT Permian Basin) ACT Requirements
UT Permian Basin's admitted students average an ACT of 18.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 18 — Accessible
An average of 18 means even a modest ACT score can strengthen your application.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 18 | 16 | 20 |
| ACT English | 17 | 14 | 20 |
| ACT Composite | 18 | 16 | 20 |
Can I get into The University of Texas Permian Basin with a 20 ACT?
At 20, you're in the top quarter of UT Permian Basin's admitted class by ACT score. That's a real advantage, but admissions still reads GPA, essays, and activities alongside it.
The ACT's four sections — English, Math, Reading, Science — are each scored independently on a 1–36 scale, and admissions staff do notice a lopsided breakdown. If one section trails the others significantly, that's worth addressing before you apply, particularly for STEM programs where Science carries extra weight.
Beyond the number itself, UT Permian Basin weighs your transcript rigor, activities, recommendations, and essays just as heavily — the ACT opens the door, the rest of your file decides what happens next.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for UT Permian Basin
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Getting into UT Permian Basin isn't the hard part — building a solid academic foundation and securing aid early is where the real strategy lives.
If Petroleum Engineering interests you, name the program's actual national ranking and location advantage specifically
UTPB's ABET-accredited Petroleum Engineering program is ranked #8 worldwide in undergraduate enrollment and #6 nationwide by a recent study, built directly around the Permian Basin - the most productive oil field in the U.S. - with hands-on research access through the Texas Water & Energy Institute and direct employer recruiting from the regional oil-and-gas industry. In outreach to the College of Engineering, reference this specific ranking and the CEED (Center for Energy and Economic Diversification) building's Petroleum Industry Alliance, not a generic "interest in energy" - it signals you understand this is a nationally-recognized niche program, not just a convenient local option.
Apply by April 15 to auto-lock a merit scholarship with zero separate application, then register for Orientation by June 1 to actually claim it
UTPB automatically considers every freshman applicant for tiered merit scholarships (Falcon Elite, Excellence, Achievement, Recognition) based purely on unweighted GPA - no separate application, no essay - but you must apply by April 15 to be eligible for the current cycle, and critically, you must register for New Student Orientation by June 1 or the scholarship offer lapses even though you were "awarded" it. Treat June 1 as a harder deadline than April 15 in practice, since missing Orientation registration is the single most common way admitted, scholarship-eligible students lose money they already technically earned.
If you're from a specific West Texas county, check Falcon Free's guarantee before assuming you need loans
UTPB's Falcon Free program covers full tuition (via a stacked combination of Pell Grant, TEXAS Grant, tuition waivers, and institutional aid) specifically for admitted students in Petroleum Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Nursing, Kinesiology, or Industrial Technology who complete the FAFSA by July 15 - funded first-come, first-served rather than guaranteed to everyone who qualifies. If your intended major is on this specific list, prioritize an early FAFSA over other financial planning, since the guarantee is explicitly funding-dependent and processed in application order, not by need level alone.
Use the automatic-admission GPA/rank threshold to skip test-score anxiety entirely
UTPB grants automatic admission to students with a 3.0+ unweighted GPA or top 25% class rank - and the university is fully test-optional, with SAT/ACT submission only mattering as an optional scholarship-tier booster, not an admission requirement. If you clear either the GPA or rank threshold, redirect any test-prep energy toward the General Scholarship Application (opens the spring before enrollment, closes April 15) instead, since that's the actual lever for additional donor-funded aid beyond the automatic merit tiers.
Expert Insight:
Because UTPB's overall acceptance rate is around 90%+ and admission itself requires no essay or letter of recommendation, applicants sometimes assume the scholarship process is equally passive. It isn't entirely: while merit scholarships are automatic based on GPA, actually receiving the funds requires registering for New Student Orientation by a specific June 1 deadline - a step distinct from admission itself that students who assume "I'm in, I'm done" can genuinely miss, forfeiting scholarship money they were already awarded on paper.
UT Permian Basin Profile
Full Name
The University of Texas Permian Basin (UT Permian Basin)
City
Odessa
State
Texas
ZIP Code
79762-0001
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Is a UT Permian Basin Degree Worth It?
At $21,727/year against a $56,073 median graduate salary, UT Permian Basin is worth weighing against your specific program and financial situation — the numbers below give you a real basis for that decision.
Admitted students' families report a median household income around $47,500, and graduates see a 4.08% unemployment rate.
How much does a degree from UT Permian Basin Cost?
Listed tuition runs $21,727/year at UT Permian Basin; factor in Pell and federal grant aid and most students land closer to $9,144.
At UT Permian Basin, 35.6% receive a Pell Grant and 29.8% carry federal loans. Filing FAFSA early and naming UT Permian Basin on it improves your shot at both.
How much does a UT Permian Basin Graduate earn?
Ten years out from enrollment, UT Permian Basin graduates report a median income of $56,073, about 38% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than The University of Texas Permian Basin. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faulkner University | Montgomery, AL | 1016 | 20 |
| University of West Alabama | Livingston, AL | 1015 | 20 |
| University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton | Morrilton, AR | 1020 | 20 |
| Williams Baptist University | Walnut Ridge, AR | 1018 | 19 |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver | Denver, CO | 1014 | 20 |
| Colorado State University Pueblo | Pueblo, CO | 1005 | 22 |
| University of Bridgeport | Bridgeport, CT | 985 | NA |
| Delaware State University | Dover, DE | 984 | 24 |
| Trinity Baptist College | Jacksonville, FL | 1007 | 20 |
| Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College | Tifton, GA | 994 | 19 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as The University of Texas Permian Basin. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Baptist College | Conway, AR | 1022 | 20 |
| Thomas University | Thomasville, GA | 1037 | 21 |
| Valdosta State University | Valdosta, GA | 1037 | 20 |
| University of Hawaii at Hilo | Hilo, HI | 1025 | 19 |
| Greenville University | Greenville, IL | 1034 | 19 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than The University of Texas Permian Basin. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn University at Montgomery | Montgomery, AL | 1090 | 21 |
| Spring Hill College | Mobile, AL | 1090 | 22 |
| Troy University | Troy, AL | 1086 | 22 |
| Grand Canyon University | Phoenix, AZ | 1095 | 22 |
| University of the Ozarks | Clarksville, AR | 1088 | 21 |
Degree Programs at UT Permian Basin
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About UT Permian Basin Admissions
The University of Texas Permian Basin graduates earn a moderate median salary of $56,073/year, with some variation by field.
Tuition at The University of Texas Permian Basin is relatively affordable, around $21,727/year.
35.6% of The University of Texas Permian Basin students get a Pell Grant. Your odds depend mostly on household income — filing FAFSA early still helps maximize what you're offered.
The University of Texas Permian Basin's acceptance rate is 84.5%, comparatively higher than most selective universities — admission is more attainable here.
The average GPA of admitted The University of Texas Permian Basin students is 3.27, reflecting a competitive applicant pool.
There's no strict cutoff, but a GPA at or above 2.97 puts you in the standard applicant pool at The University of Texas Permian Basin. Below that, your essays and recommendations need to work harder to provide context.
A GPA of 2.87 or below makes admission tougher at The University of Texas Permian Basin, but strong test scores, activities, and essays — plus AP/IB coursework — can still keep you in contention.
The University of Texas Permian Basin weighs the SAT heavily. Scoring above 1031, and within the 910–1110 range, keeps you competitive.
The University of Texas Permian Basin's deadline is February 1. Rolling Admissions applies too, so earlier is always better.
For priority financial aid consideration, get your FAFSA in before 2026/02/01 (Scholarship priority) — that's The University of Texas Permian Basin's scholarship priority date.
Transferring in is a well-trodden path here. Line up your transcripts, recommendations, and a strong personal statement before applying.
The biggest levers are academic performance, a clear extracurricular focus, and essays that stand out — plus a solid test score where the school considers one.