Business/Commerce, General: The University of Texas at Austin vs University of Houston-Clear Lake

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
16.2x
$46,712 tuition
22.4x
$30,984 tuition
Out-of-State
4.4x
$171,112 tuition
8.1x
$85,320 tuition
$757,663 10-yr earnings · Public
$694,721 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

The University of Texas at Austin University of Houston-Clear Lake
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 16.2x 22.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 4.4x 8.1x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $46,712 $30,984
Year 1 Earnings $94,041 $56,494
10-Year Earnings $758K $695K
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 78/100 77/100
Acceptance Rate 29.1% 75.3%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (46% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Business/Commerce, General graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Business/Commerce, General graduates.

The University of Texas at Austin University of Houston-Clear Lake
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $46,712 $30,984
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $171,112 $85,320
10-Year Projected Earnings $758K $695K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 16.2x 22.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 4.4x 8.1x

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Business/Commerce, General (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

The University of Texas at Austin University of Houston-Clear Lake
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $782K $758K $660K $713K $695K $613K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 16.7x 16.2x 14.1x 23.0x 22.4x 19.8x
DegreeWorth Score 79 78 73 78 77 71

For the full AI analysis of Business/Commerce, General career paths, see the The University of Texas at Austin or University of Houston-Clear Lake program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Business/Commerce, General graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$15,728
University of Houston-Clear Lake saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$37,547/yr
The University of Texas at Austin grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
16.2x / 22.4x
Out-of-state: 4.4x / 8.1x

Career Paths

Business/Commerce, General graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Chief executives $206,420 22,200 +4.3% 56%
Sales managers $138,060 49,000 +4.7% 45%
Managers, all other $136,550 106,700 +4.5% 47%
Industrial production managers $121,440 17,100 +1.9% 34%
Administrative services managers $108,390 23,200 +4.6% 39%
Construction managers $106,980 46,800 +8.7% 44%
Facilities managers $104,690 13,200 +3.8% 48%
General and operations managers $102,950 308,700 +4.4% 48%
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Business/Commerce, General: The University of Texas at Austin or University of Houston-Clear Lake?
The University of Texas at Austin scores 78/100 while University of Houston-Clear Lake scores 77/100. University of Houston-Clear Lake has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Business/Commerce, General?
The University of Texas at Austin has an in-state earnings multiple of 16.2x vs University of Houston-Clear Lake's 22.4x. That means University of Houston-Clear Lake grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do The University of Texas at Austin and University of Houston-Clear Lake compare on Business/Commerce, General earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $94,041 at The University of Texas at Austin vs $56,494 at University of Houston-Clear Lake. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $757,663 vs $694,721 — a difference of $62,942.
How much does Business/Commerce, General cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $46,712 at The University of Texas at Austin and $30,984 at University of Houston-Clear Lake. Both programs lead to the same Business/Commerce, General career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.