This is how much more Fort Worth workers earn with a graduate degree, study finds

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smartasset.com

One of the biggest decisions new college graduates face after earning their bachelor's is whether to continue their education with a graduate degree, or enter the professional world without one. The Education Data Initiative reports graduate degrees can cost between $30,000 and $120,000 after a bachelor's, so it's important to consider the financial benefits depending on an individual's chosen field of study.

In Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, graduate degree holders earn $16,859 more than they would with just a bachelor's degree, according to a new study by SmartAsset.

The average annual income of a Metroplex resident with a bachelor's degree is $65,694, the study says. Those with graduate degrees make $82,553 per year, SmartAsset says.

A graduate degree holder's salary in Dallas-Fort Worth is much higher than the national average of $72,000 per year. The study further determined that (nationally) a graduate degree nets workers $16,000 more per year than those with a bachelor's.

Those with advanced degrees from one Fort Worth graduate school do particularly well.

"Amid the high expenses of education and ever-changing job markets, it’s important to weigh the opportunity costs of a graduate degree with the additional earning potential," the study's author wrote. "A graduate or professional degree nets an extra $484,000 over a career, on average... This assumes a 30 year career in a medium or large metro area."

SmartAsset's study used 2021 U.S. Census Bureau 1-Year ACS S1501 data to determine the income for individuals aged 25 and older with varying professional degrees in 281 of the biggest metropolitan areas.

The Texas city where a graduate degree nets a resident the most amount of money is Midland, with a massive $24,394 difference between graduate degree and bachelor's holders. Average graduate degree pay in the West Texas city is $90,559 versus $66,165 for an individual with a bachelor's degree.

The metro that landed at the top of the national ranks is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California. A bachelor's degree holder makes an average salary of $102,214 in the area, whereas a graduate degree holder earns more than $48,000 more, totaling $150,281.

The full report and its methodology can be found on smartasset.com.

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Texas Christian University ranks as No. 6 school in Texas for 2024 by U.S. News

Top Texas schools

Texas Christian University has achieved a high ranking for its high-quality educational experiences this year. The home of the Horned Frogs earned a top-10 spot on U.S. News and World Report's just-released list of the Best Colleges in Texas for 2024.

TCU claimed the No. 6 spot in Texas, and ranked No. 98 nationally. The private institution had an undergraduate enrollment of more than 10,500 students in fall 2022. The school, which costs $57,220 in tuition and fees each year, ranks No. 92 for "Best Value Schools" by U.S. News.

In April, TCU's Neeley School of Business ranked No. 6 in U.S. News' ranking of the best graduate programs in Texas. TCU business graduates additionally make the ninth-highest earnings in the nation within the four years after their graduation.

TCU actually fared similarly in Niche'slist of top Texas schools, in which it ranked No. 6 statewide.

U.S. News' profile of TCU says the university finds pride in its rich campus culture that encourages students to participate in different organizations and activities. It's proximity to downtown Fort Worth is also a major draw.

"Volunteer activities are a particularly big draw for students, and the school’s Center for Community Involvement & Service-Learning coordinates excursions like service trips over spring break," the site says. "Students can check out live bull riding shows at Billy Bob’s, a restaurant that is billed as the world’s largest honky-tonk, or catch a rodeo at the Cowtown Coliseum. Dallas is about 35 miles away."

TCU's cross-Metroplex rival, Southern Methodist University, ranked No. 4 in Texas and No. 89 nationally.

Just behind TCU is Richardson's University of Texas at Dallas, which placed No. 7 in the Texas rankings and No. 115 nationally. With a total undergraduate enrollment of over 21,600 students in fall 2022, the university values itself as a top-tier research institution.

"The Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship utilizes world-class, academic education, industry-leading experiential training, venture mentorship and advisory support to support the launch of new businesses," the UT Dallas website says.

In fact, the U.S. Department of Defense recently announced it will work alongside UT Dallas to develop a $30 million energy storage systems campus in a new initiative to improve battery technology.

"The project will accelerate transition and scaling of next generation batteries, while reducing dependence on scarce critical materials," the release said.

UTD ranked No. 14 in the recent Niche list of best Texas colleges.

U.S. News' top 10 best colleges in Texas in 2024 are:

No. 1 – Rice University, Houston
No. 2 – University of Texas at Austin
No. 3 – Texas A&M University, College Station
No. 4 – Southern Methodist University, Dallas
No. 5 – Baylor University, Waco
No. 6 – Texas Christian University, Fort Worth
No. 7 – The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson
No. 8 – University of Houston
No. 9 – Texas Tech University, Lubbock
No. 10 – University of St. Thomas, Houston

The full rankings can be found on usnews.com.

Photo courtesy of Discover Denton

Fort Worth neighbor booms as 6th fastest-growing U.S. college town, report says

fly high, eagles

Fort Worth might be one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S., but there's one North Texas city that's outdoing it in a different category of population growth. A new study by university scholarship website BrokeScholar has deemed Denton the No. 6 fastest-growing college town in the country.

Denton's population in 2000 was 84,412; in 2023 the population has nearly doubled to 160,564. For scale, U.S. News and World Report says the University of North Texas alone had an undergraduate enrollment of 32,603 in the fall of 2021. Texas Woman's University's fall 2021 enrollment was 10,283 students.

It's not just a university or its enrollment that attracts newcomers, the study says, but the "cultural oasis" that the college towns maintain.

"These collegiate strongholds benefit from an influx of new residents eager to enjoy a good football game and an existing mix of music, culture, and young energy," the report's author wrote.

Denton is a hub for cultural growth as a natural attraction for local Texas bands, a fun arts scene, and a host of outdoor recreational activities like the weekly Denton Community Market.

BrokeScholar estimates the city's population to expand to over 195,000 people by 2030, and about 342,000 people by 2050.

Richardson came in at No. 47 for the fastest-growing college towns, with a 28 percent growth rate from 2000 to 2023, putting the city's current population at 117,528 residents.

Also in the top 10 is San Marcos, in between Austin and San Antonio, ranking No. 4 with an overall population of 70,372 residents. College Station earned No. 8 with an overall population of 123,238 in 2023, with an estimate growth of 19 percent to 147,126 residents by 2030.

The top 10 fastest-growing college towns in the U.S. are:

No. 1 – Bozeman, Montana
No. 2 – Oxford, Mississippi
No. 3 – Cedar City, Utah
No. 4 – San Marcos, Texas
No. 5 – Auburn, Alabama
No. 6 – Denton, Texas
No. 7 – Cullowhee, North Carolina
No. 8 – College Station, Texas
No. 9 – Fayetteville, Arkansas
No. 10 – Raleigh, North Carolina

BrokeScholar pulled data from the U.S. Census Bureau between 2000 and 2023 to determine annual growth rates and make population projections for 2030.

The full report and its methodology can be found on brokescholar.com.

Photo by Chichi Onyekanne on Unsplash

4 DFW universities earn top rankings on new list of best colleges in U.S.

campus pride

Four Dallas-Fort Worth area universities have risen through the ranks in a highly anticipated new list of the country's best universities.

Niche, an education review and ranking website, has deemed Texas Christian University the sixth best college in Texas, for the third consecutive year. The university receives an A+ grade in four of the 12 ranking categories, including athletics, student life, and campus. The school also earned an A for its academics and party scene, a B- value and safety, and a B for the campus food.

Texas Christian University also ranked highly in other categories, including:

No. 2 out of 333 Best Christian College in America (behind cross-town rival SMU, which came in at No. 1)
No. 12 out of 1,287 Best College Campuses in America
No. 21 out of 828 Best Colleges for Accounting and Finance in America

More individual rankings can be found here.

TCU regularly earns ranks on lists of the best colleges and universities in the country, including those published by Niche, Forbes, and U.S. News & World Report.

"Since starting at TCU, I've felt really happy with the quality of education I've received," a student wrote in a Niche review. "Texas Christian University has made me feel safe and confident in my ability to learn and explore different subjects. The instructors are very knowledgeable and care about their students."

Dallas' Southern Methodist Universityranked right above TCU as the fifth best Texas college (down from No. 4 last year), and the best Christian college in the U.S. SMU earned an A+ in five out of 12 categories, including professors, student life, and party scene. It gets an A for the academics and athletics, an A- for diversity and campus food, and a B for value and safety.

The University of North Texas in Denton made waves as the No. 7 best public university in the state, but only ranked No. 12 in the overall list of best Texas colleges. It earned an A+ for the campus food, an A in student life, diversity, and party scene, a B+ in academics, value, and professors, and a C+ for the dorms.

The University of Texas at Dallas fell from No. 9 last year into No. 14 for the best statewide colleges, but maintained its No. 9 spot in the best public universities in Texas. The university earned an A in diversity, A- in safety, B+ in academics, professors, value, and location, and a C for its athletics and party scene.

Topping Niche’s national list is Yale University, followed by Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Princeton University, Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Dartmouth College.

Here are the top 10 Texas schools:

1. Rice University (Houston)
2. University of Texas at Austin
3. Texas A&M University (College Station)
4. Trinity University (San Antonio)
5. Southern Methodist University (University Park)
6. Texas Christian University (Fort Worth)
7. Texas Tech University (Lubbock)
8. University of Houston
9. University of Texas Permian Basin (Odessa)
10. Baylor University (Waco)

“Choosing where to go to college is easily one of the most significant — and expensive — decisions of a person’s life. Niche’s mission is to ensure that every college-bound student has access to easy, transparent and free resources … to help them find their best fit,” Luke Skurman, founder and CEO of Niche, says in a news release.

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A version of this article originally ran on our sister site InnovationMap.

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TCU business school ranks No. 9 for graduate earnings in new nationwide study

climbing to the top

A new study conducted by business advice company Venture Smarter has revealed graduates from Texas Christian University's Neeley School of Business produce the ninth-highest earnings in the nation.

Four years post-graduation, TCU business alumni make an average of $93,488 per year. That salary is a huge jump from the average earnings from just one year post-grad, which amounts to $57,155.

The earnings at one year post-completion are 25 percent above the nationwide business school average, which goes up to 55 percent at the four-year stage.

The study goes on to list prominent alumni from TCU, which includes CEO of BNSF Railway Kathryn Farmer, and billionaire entrepreneur (and TCU Board of Trustees member) John Davis.

"With business school constituting an obvious step for many aspiring entrepreneurs, it’s interesting to have established the schools whose graduates are set to accrue the most wealth," a Venture Smarter spokesperson said in a statement. "The prestige and alumni of these schools speak for themselves, but this top ten is certainly something for young students-to-be to take note of."

Ahead of TCU in the rankings is cross-town rival Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business, ranking No. 3. SMU business alumni earn an average of $51,068 one year post-completion. After four years, those graduates make $105,314 a year.

Interestingly, TCU and SMU were the only two Texas schools to make the top 10.

The top 10 business schools with the highest-earning graduates after four years are:

No. 1 – University of Virginia ($112,759)
No. 2 – Emory University ($107,945)
No. 3 – Southern Methodist University ($105,314)
No. 4 – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ($105,246)
No. 5 – George Washington University ($101,930)
No. 6 – Stevens Institute of Technology ($100,049)
No. 7 – Washington and Lee University ($98,403)
No. 8 – Georgetown University ($94,935)
No. 9 – Texas Christian University ($93,488)
No. 10 – Elon University ($92,616)

To determine the average earnings of business graduates from colleges around the country, Venture Smarter researched data from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard tool.

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5 Dallas-Fort Worth universities earn top spots for graduate programs in Texas

TOP-TIER EDUCATION

The 2023 results are in, and U.S. News and World Report has deemed five Dallas-Fort Worth universities among the best grad schools in the state, with some departments landing among the top 100 in the country.

U.S. News publishes its national "Best Graduate Schools" rankings every year, which looks at several programs including business, education, engineering, fine arts, health, and many others. For the 2023-2024 report, the publication decided to withhold its rankings for law and medical schools, which will be published later this year. It also changed the methodology for ranking education and business schools by focusing on outcome rather than a program’s reputation and selectivity.

The University of Texas at Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Managementranked No. 3 in Texas and No. 27 overall in the nation, with its project management program ranking eighth best nationally. The Jonsson School of Engineering earned the No. 73 spot among engineering schools, and sixth best program in Texas. Additionally, the university's audiology and speech-language pathology programs landed the No. 2 and No. 10 spots in the nation.

Southern Methodist University followed right behind UT Dallas for the No. 4 top graduate business school in Texas, and No. 33 overall. The university also has the third best graduate education school in the state, and 49th best nationally.

Denton's University of North Texas earned the No. 6 spot in the state for its graduate education program, which ranked 99th overall. It faired similarly in the business category at No. 95 nationally, and ninth best in Texas. Most notably, UNT has the No. 20 best library and information studies programs, with its health librarianship program ranking the sixth best in the nation. The public affairs department also earned some nods for its No. 8 and No. 10 overall ranks in local government management, and homeland security and emergency management programs.

At No. 50 nationally and No. 6 in the state for its graduate business school is Fort Worth's Texas Christian University. The graduate education school ranked No. 8 in Texas, and No. 125 overall. It also has the No. 43 best doctorate nursing program in the nation.

The University of Texas at Arlington earned the No. 4 spot in Texas for its graduate engineering program, and No. 69 nationally. It is the No. 54 best master's nursing program and No. 51 best social work program in the nation, according to the report.

“When prospective students are considering their options for graduate school, the Best Graduate Schools rankings are designed to help them identify schools that excel in the program they want to study,” said LaMont Jones, senior editor of Education at U.S. News. “With many options available, U.S. News provides a wealth of data in an easy format to help each student make the best decision.”

Some category rankings have not been released for the 2023-24 school year, but the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center ranked No. 2 in Texas in the “Best Medical Schools: Research” and “Primary Care” categories for 2022. Additionally, the School of Law at Texas A&M University in Fort Worth and the Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University previously ranked No. 2 and No. 4 respectively in Texas for the 2022-2023 academic year.

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'Yellowstone' stars to greet fans at Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

Yellowstone news

Yellowstone fans, get your comfy shoes ready - there'll be a long line for this one. Cole Hauser a.k.a. "Rip Wheeler" on Yellowstone, and Taylor Sheridan, the show's co-creator, executive producer, and director of the series, will meet fans and sign autographs at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.

The event will take place from 4:30-6:30 pm only on Friday, February 3. Location is the 6666 Ranch booth near the south end of Aisle 700 in the Amon G. Carter, Jr. Exhibits Hall.

According to a February 2 announcement from FWSSR, "fans will have the opportunity to snag an autograph as well as purchase some distinctive Yellowstone and 6666 Ranch merchandise while also enjoying all the features the Stock Show offers."

The event is free to attend (with paid Stock Show admission) and open to the public.

It's the second year in a row for Hauser to appear at FWSSR; in 2022, he and fellow cast mates drew huge crowds.

Sheridan, a Paschal High School graduate, is no stranger to Fort Worth; he lives in a ranch near Weatherford and filmed 1883, the prequel to Yellowstone, in and around Fort Worth. Currently, another spinoff, 1883: The Bass Reeves Story, is filming in North Texas.

The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is winding up its 2023 run on Saturday, February 4.

Surprising family-friendly suburb tops this week's 5 most popular Fort Worth stories

This week's hot headlines

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that listhere. Headed to the State Fair? Find a full list of discounts here.

1. Surprising Fort Worth suburb named No. 5 most family-friendly U.S. city. If Fort Worth-area residents are looking for the perfect new place to buy a home and raise a family, they should steer their interest toward Watauga. The northeast Fort Worth suburb, impressively, has been named the fifth most family-friendly city in the U.S. by real estate marketplace Opendoor.

2. Mr Gatti's Pizza returns to home turf Fort Worth with new location. A Fort Worth-based pizzeria concept has opened a location in Fort Worth: Mr Gatti's Pizza has opened a restaurant off Camp Bowie at 2812 Horne St. #100, a space previously occupied by Helen's Hot Chicken, where they're open with pizza, pizza rolls, and their signature ranch dressing.

3. Texas Christian University ranks as No. 6 school in Texas for 2024 by U.S. News. Texas Christian University has achieved a high ranking for its high-quality educational experiences this year. The home of the Horned Frogs earned a top-10 spot on U.S. News and World Report's just-released list of the Best Colleges in Texas for 2024.

4. Ultra-chic Postino WineCafe brings wine and bruschetta to Southlake. A nationally acclaimed wine bar-restaurant has opened in Southlake: Postino WineCafé, specializing in wine, bites, and a chic atmosphere, opened a location at 1440 Main St., in Southlake Town Square, in the no-brainer slot next to Trader Joe's.

5. Quonset hut in south Fort Worth to be transformed into ballroom. A Quonset hut in south Fort Worth is about to make a Cinderella-like transformation: Called the Quonset Ballroom, it's being developed into an entertainment space which will host live music, food trucks, and events.

Cidercade cider and games venue opens mega-facility in heart of Arlington

Cider News

Cider and games are coming to Arlington with the opening of Cidercade, a new entertainment venue opening at 500 E. Division St. in the heart of Arlington on September 29.

Cidercade has hundreds of arcade games, shuffleboard, pool tables, and more, all available for playing with a single admission fee, as well as dozens of drinks on tap. It's all ages during the day then turns 21+ at 8 pm.

Arlington is the fifth location in Texas, following existing Cidercades in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and Houston, and is the largest yet with a huge space spanning 25,000-plus square feet.

It houses more than 300 retro and modern arcade games, pool tables, ping pong tables, shuffleboard courts (a Cidercade first), party rooms, and event spaces for groups of all sizes.

In a statement, co-founder and CEO Joel Malone says that with Arlington's reputation as an entertainment destination, he knew they had to build "something awesome."

"Cidercade Arlington is not only our largest location yet, but it includes a much larger variety of games and experiences," he says.

Cidercade customers pay an admission fee of $12 and get unlimited play on all the games and activities once inside. Cidercade also offers a $20 monthly membership that includes unlimited admissions as well as discounts on drinks and merch.

Beyond the games, multiple bars serve a big lineup of adult beverages on tap, all made by Bishop Cider, and soft drinks from soda machines with unlimited refills.

Customers are allowed to bring their own food or have it delivered from nearby restaurants.

In addition to the Arlington expansion, Bishop is also relocating the Dallas Cidercade to a new site near Love Field Airport, where it will be expanded dramatically to 79,000 square feet, nearly 10 times larger. It will feature concepts, games, and activities that aren’t offered anywhere else in Texas, and will open in 2024. The current location will remain open until then.

Malone and and his wife and partner Laura Malone initially founded Bishop Cider as a quaint 704-square-foot cider bar a decade ago. The company has since grown into a leader in beverage manufacturing and beverage experiences comprising four brands:

TexBev, a co-packer for carbonated soft drinks, juice, energy drinks, wine, beer, and RTDs.
Cidercade, the cider and game venue
Bishop Cider, the hard cider company
Wild Acre Brewing, a brewery and beer garden venue in Fort Worth that produces seasonal brews and year-round core beers like Texas Blonde, Juice Slinger IPA, and Sundance Wheat.

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