Business (General): The University of Texas at Austin vs University of Houston-Downtown

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
19.8x
$46,712 tuition
16.6x
$30,832 tuition
Out-of-State
5.4x
$171,112 tuition
7.2x
$71,152 tuition
$94,041/yr starting · Public
$47,469/yr starting · Public

Head-to-Head

The University of Texas at Austin University of Houston-Downtown
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 19.8x 16.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.4x 7.2x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $46,712 $30,832
Year 1 Earnings $94,041 $47,469
10-Year Earnings $924K $512K
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 95/100 85/100
Acceptance Rate 29.1% 90.6%

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

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Business (General) graduates.

The University of Texas at Austin University of Houston-Downtown
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $46,712 $30,832
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $171,112 $71,152
10-Year Projected Earnings $924K $512K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 19.8x 16.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.4x 7.2x

"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 (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-Downtown
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $1,078K $924K $709K $679K $512K $358K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 23.1x 19.8x 15.2x 22.0x 16.6x 11.6x
DegreeWorth Score 95 95 89 87 85 79

For the full AI analysis of Business (General) career paths, see the The University of Texas at Austin or University of Houston-Downtown program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Business (General) graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$15,880
University of Houston-Downtown saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$46,572/yr
The University of Texas at Austin grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
19.8x / 16.6x
Out-of-state: 5.4x / 7.2x

Career Paths

Business (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%

Explore Each Program

More Business (General) Comparisons

Business (General) Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Business (General): The University of Texas at Austin or University of Houston-Downtown?
The University of Texas at Austin scores 95/100 while University of Houston-Downtown scores 85/100. University of Houston-Downtown has significantly lower tuition, which drives its competitive ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Business (General)?
The University of Texas at Austin has an in-state earnings multiple of 19.8x vs University of Houston-Downtown's 16.6x. That means The University of Texas at Austin grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do The University of Texas at Austin and University of Houston-Downtown compare on Business (General) earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $94,041 at The University of Texas at Austin vs $47,469 at University of Houston-Downtown. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $923,957 vs $512,436 — a difference of $411,521.
How much does Business (General) cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $46,712 at The University of Texas at Austin and $30,832 at University of Houston-Downtown. Both programs lead to the same Business (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.