Turns out, going to Texas Tech isn’t just about earning a degree anymore—it’s also a crash course in surviving late-stage capitalism. According to College Navigator, the cost of living for Tech students has ballooned, with tuition jumping 40% since 2015 and basic expenses like rent, food, and coffee chasing inflation like it’s an intramural sport.
University officials tout the “affordable cost” of a Red Raider education while casually noting they hand out $230 million in scholarships—most of which apparently vanish into the void faster than a student’s paycheck at United Supermarkets. Meanwhile, off-campus apartments like The Avenue are here to “help” by partnering with Flex Pay, a company that lets students split their rent in half… because nothing says financial stability like paying rent twice a month instead of once.
Students are told to check out Raider Red’s Food Pantry (because ramen isn’t what it used to be) and the Raider Relief Fund, where their desperate pleas for help are reviewed by committee. If you’re not chosen for the emergency fund lottery, no worries—they’ll refer you to “community resources,” otherwise known as: good luck out there.
At this rate, the only affordable thing left at Tech is parking tickets—and even those are going up.
