Texas Could Soon Offer 3-Year Bachelor’s Degrees

TEXAS -- What if getting a bachelor's degree in Texas didn't automatically mean signing up for four years of college? That's the idea behind a new push announced by Gov. Greg Abbott that could give students at Texas public universities the option of earning certain bachelor's degrees in three years instead of four.

And no, this isn't about cramming four years of classes into three years and simply hoping everyone gets enough sleep.

The initiative is aimed at creating bachelor's degree programs requiring around 90 credit hours rather than the traditional 120, allowing students in participating programs to finish sooner, according to Gov. Abbott's office.

Why Texas is looking at three-year college degrees

The biggest reason probably won't surprise anybody who has paid a tuition bill lately. Yeah, college is expensive. So, cutting a year from some degree programs could mean students spend less on tuition, fees, housing, and other college-related expenses while also entering the workforce sooner.

It's part of a larger affordability push in Texas. Abbott has also directed public colleges and universities to keep undergraduate tuition and fees frozen through the 2026-27 school year.

Will every Texas degree take only three years?

Nope.

This isn't Texas suddenly declaring that every bachelor's degree is now a three-year degree. The idea is to develop specific programs that can reasonably be completed with fewer credit hours while still meeting academic and accreditation requirements.

So, if you're already mentally shortening your future Aggie's college bill by exactly 25%, perhaps keep the calculators in the drawer for a minute. But for Texas families staring at the increasingly intimidating cost of a four-year degree, another path to the same bachelor's credential could be worth watching.

And this one is still in the works. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is expected to submit its recommendations and proposed implementation framework to the governor by December 31, 2026.

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