Texas A&M extends tuition freeze, expands free tuition program to families earning up to $100K

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) - Texas A&M University is extending its freeze of undergraduate tuition and required fees through the 2026–27 academic year and expanding its free tuition program to cover more middle-income families, the university announced.

Since 2022, Texas A&M has held undergraduate tuition and required fees at 2021 rates. The university says the freeze has saved Aggie families a combined $61 million over four years, with approximately 80,000 undergraduate students enrolling since 2021 without experiencing a tuition increase.

Had the university raised tuition at the rate of inflation — roughly 4.5% — students would have paid approximately $4,225 more over four years in tuition and fees alone.

May 2025 marked the first graduating class to complete a Texas A&M degree with no tuition or fee increase during their time on campus. With the freeze now extended through 2026–27, at least two more graduating classes will share in those savings.

Beginning in fall 2026, Texas A&M will also expand its Aggie Assurance program — the university’s free tuition initiative for low- and middle-income Texas families. That means incoming undergraduates who are Texas residents and whose family income and assets are below $100,000 can qualify for free tuition, provided they meet the state priority deadline. First launched in 2008, Aggie Assurance was among the first programs of its kind in the nation.

“Affordability and return on investment have been focal points for universities — and their critics — for a long time,” said Chris Reed, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Chief Enrollment Officer. “Texas A&M’s outcomes are strong, and we’re determined to make sure affordability remains an equal priority. Extending the tuition freeze and expanding Aggie Assurance are two concrete ways we’re keeping a Texas A&M degree attainable for more students and families.”

Approximately 63% of 2024–25 Texas A&M graduates completed their education debt-free, compared to 45% of students nationally.

The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2026 Best Colleges ranking placed Texas A&M No. 1 among public universities in Texas, No. 1 in the Southeastern Conference, and No. 12 nationally among public institutions. No public university in Texas has produced more current Fortune 500 CEOs, and Texas A&M is tied for No. 1 nationally among public universities with former students leading Fortune 500 companies.