The Best HR Programs in Texas for 2026

UT Dallas' Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management, part of the Naveen Jindal School of Management, is taught by faculty with an average of 25 years of commercial HR experience. The curriculum connects HR to strategy, analytics, AI, and HR technology, and it aligns with guidelines from SHRM and HRCI, so graduates are eligible to sit for the SHRM Certified Professional exam or the HRCI Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR) exam; an elective certification-prep course helps students get there. The program's student-led SHRM chapter draws more than 45% membership and has placed in the Texas SHRM competition six of the last seven years, taking first in 2019, 2021, and 2022.

UT Dallas carries a Hakia Score of 89.4, fourth among Texas HR programs, on a 76% graduation rate and the most accessible admit rate here at 65%. In-state tuition is $10,639 a year versus $36,139 out-of-state, a $25,500 gap and the second-cheapest in-state option after Texas A&M. Enrollment is 29,886. The program reports a $68,000 average starting salary from exit surveys, below the $99,080 national median across HR occupations noted in BLS wage data, consistent with entry-level pay. It fits students who want the easiest admissions path on this list, low in-state cost, and a direct route to professional HR certification.

Texas Tech's Online Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources Development (HRDV) is a 120-credit, 100% online, asynchronous degree built for working adults, delivered in 8-week accelerated terms with multiple start dates a year. Coursework runs through HRDV 2301 Introduction to Human Resource Development, HRDV 3307 Employment Law in Human Resource Development and HRDV 4302 Global and Virtual Leadership, and the curriculum is aligned to the SHRM body of knowledge, preparing graduates to sit for the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP exam. Texas Tech also credits up to 9 hours toward the degree through its Prior Learning Assessment program for work and military experience.

The program carries a Hakia Score of 86.2, the highest of the four ranked here, reflecting a 69% graduation rate against a 73% admit rate at a public university enrolling 40,757 students. The HRDV program itself bills per credit hour ($415 to $500) rather than by residency, but Texas Tech's IPEDS-reported annual tuition splits at $8,935 in-state versus $21,240 out-of-state, a $12,305 gap that matters most against other online options. It fits a working adult who wants a fully asynchronous format with a built-in SHRM exam pathway rather than a campus-based cohort. The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national median wage across HR roles at $99,080 a year, the same figure for every program on this list, not a school-specific result.

The University of Houston's Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Development (HRD) trains students to lead people, teams and organizations through change, with coursework in workforce training, career management and organizational development. The degree is offered online, hybrid and face-to-face across the main UH campus and UH Sugar Land, and graduates land titles ranging from training specialist and instructional designer to HR manager and organizational development manager across energy, transportation, healthcare, retail and education employers. An active Student Society of Human Resource Development chapter runs alongside the program.

UH's Hakia Score of 85.3 sits just behind Texas Tech's, built on a 65% graduation rate and a 74% admit rate at a public research university enrolling 47,980 students. In-state tuition runs $8,685 against $21,515 out-of-state, a $12,830 spread, roughly in line with Texas Tech's gap but at a school offering three delivery formats instead of one. It fits students who want to choose their own format, online for flexibility, hybrid for a partial commute, or face-to-face for the full campus experience, without switching programs. The BLS national median wage across HR roles is $99,080 a year, a field-wide benchmark rather than a UH-specific outcome.

UT San Antonio's BBA in Human Resources Management, housed in the Alvarez College of Business, builds around two core courses, Managing Human Resources and Managing Human Resources for Competitive Advantage, plus electives in Performance Management, Compensating Employees, Staffing Organizations, Employee and Labor Relations, and Training and Developing Employees. The program prepares students for three optional certifications, SHRM-CP, aPHR and PHR, though exam fees are not covered by tuition, and it channels students toward internships including the repeatable MGT 4933 course. Employers that recruit directly from the program include USAA, H-E-B, Valero and Air Force Civilian Service.

UTSA's Hakia Score of 73.7 is the lowest of the four, shaped by a 53% graduation rate and an 87% admit rate, the most accessible entry point on this list. It is also the cheapest: $6,266 in-state tuition against $19,189 out-of-state, a $12,923 gap, at a public university enrolling 35,770 students. This fits a cost-conscious student who wants a low admission bar and a direct line to three HR certification exams rather than a high-selectivity brand name. The BLS national median wage across HR roles, $99,080 a year, applies equally to every school here and is not a UTSA-specific figure.

The University of North Texas at Dallas offers a BBA in Organizational Behavior and Human Resources Management as a SHRM Academic Alignment Program partner, one of the marks SHRM gives programs it recognizes as aligned to its curriculum. Students who log 500 hours of relevant HR experience, through a full-time internship in one semester or a part-time one spread across two, can apply to sit the SHRM-CP exam in their final year. The program leans on small class sizes and hands-on placements with organizations such as the YMCA and Life School, and teaches applied skills like writing a job description and building an interview protocol.

UNT Dallas posts a Hakia Score of 73.5, close behind UTSA, on a 61% graduation rate and a 72% admit rate at a university enrolling 46,864 students system-wide. In-state tuition is $8,319 versus $18,159 out-of-state, a $9,840 gap, the narrowest of the four programs here. It fits a student who wants a structured, certification-linked internship requirement built into the degree rather than an optional add-on, at a mid-range price point. The BLS reports a national median wage of $99,080 a year across HR roles, a field-wide figure that applies the same way to every program on this list.

Wayland Baptist University is a private, nonprofit institution in Plainview, TX. Its Bachelor's in Human Resources program ranks #9 of the 12 analyzed here with a 71.5 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 81 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 19% of its students, below the 62% average across the ranked schools. Wayland Baptist University admits 56% of applicants, more selective than the 70% average for the group. That is more open than the 26% rate at Trinity University, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 19% to 84%.

On cost, Wayland Baptist University charges $22,054 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $88,216 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $5,712 at Texas Woman's University to $58,100 at Baylor University. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with a $99,080 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its genuine selectivity.

University of the Incarnate Word is a private, nonprofit institution in San Antonio, TX. Its Bachelor's in Human Resources program ranks #10 of the 12 analyzed here with a 70.1 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 81 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 51% of its students, below the 62% average across the ranked schools. University of the Incarnate Word admits 98% of applicants, less selective than the 70% average for the group. That is more open than the 26% rate at Trinity University, the most selective program on this list.

On cost, University of the Incarnate Word charges $35,050 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $140,200 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $5,712 at Texas Woman's University to $58,100 at Baylor University. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with a $99,080 national median salary reported by the BLS. It earns its place in the top 12 on the balance of cost, completion, and outcomes.

Texas Woman's University is a public institution in Denton, TX. Its Bachelor's in Human Resources program ranks #11 of the 12 analyzed here with a 69.6 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 81 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 49% of its students, below the 62% average across the ranked schools. Texas Woman's University admits 96% of applicants, less selective than the 70% average for the group. That is more open than the 26% rate at Trinity University, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 19% to 84%.

On cost, Texas Woman's University charges $5,712 a year in-state, roughly 2.7x the $15,552 out-of-state rate. Over four years that is about $22,848 in tuition for residents, against $62,208 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $5,712 at Texas Woman's University to $58,100 at Baylor University. Graduates step into a field with a $99,080 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its low in-state cost.

Based in Huntsville, TX, Sam Houston State University is a public institution. Its Bachelor's in Human Resources program lands at #12 of the 12 ranked here, earning a 69.5 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 81 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 55% of its students, below the 62% average across the ranked schools. Sam Houston State University admits 90% of applicants, less selective than the 70% average for the group. That is more open than the 26% rate at Trinity University, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 19% to 84%.

On cost, Sam Houston State University charges $5,856 a year in-state, roughly 2.7x the $15,696 out-of-state rate. Over four years that is about $23,424 in tuition for residents, against $62,784 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $5,712 at Texas Woman's University to $58,100 at Baylor University. Graduates step into a field with a $99,080 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its low in-state cost.