Six Texas universities made the national Top 100 Best Colleges, ranked in U.S. News & World Report 2027.
The U.S. News & World Report releases its list of best colleges each year. The publication evaluates about 1,700 schools using factors like graduation rates, student-faculty ratios and other measures of academic performance.
The report, released on Tuesday, Sept. 22, lists Rice University at No. 16, the highest-ranked Texas university.
The top two universities on the list were MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Princeton University.
Here are the rankings of the Texas universities that made the Top 100 list. In most cases, the universities shared rankings with other universities.
Rice University ranked #16 on 100 Best Colleges
Rice University is a private institution that was founded
in 1912. In the 2027 edition of Best Colleges, Rice University is ranked No. 16 in national universities. It's also ranked No. 8 in lowest acceptance rates.
It had a total undergraduate enrollment of 4,807 in fall 2025, its setting is city, and the campus size is 300 acres. The student-faculty ratio at Rice University is six to one, and it utilizes a semester-based academic calendar.
University of Texas at Austin ranked #34 on 100 Best Colleges
The University of Texas at Austin is a public institution that was founded in 1883. In the 2027 edition of Best Colleges, the University of Texas at Austin is ranked No. 34 in national universities. It's also ranked No. 8 in top public schools.
It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 44,314 as of fall 2025, its setting is city, and has a campus size of 441 acres. The student-faculty ratio at the University of Texas at Austin is 22 to one, and it utilizes a semester-based academic calendar.
Texas A&M University ranked #59 on 100 Best Colleges
Texas A&M University is a public institution that was founded in 1876. In the 2027 edition of Best Colleges, Texas A&M University is ranked No. 59 in national universities. It's also ranked No. 24 in top public schools.
It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 62,031 as of fall 2025, its setting is city, and the campus size is 5,200 acres. The student-faculty ratio at Texas A&M University is 20 to one, and it utilizes a semester-based academic calendar.
Southern Methodist University ranked #85 in 100 Best Colleges
Southern Methodist University is a private institution that was founded in 1911. In the 2027 edition of Best Colleges, Southern Methodist University is ranked No. 85 in national universities. It's also ranked No. 46 in top private schools.
It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 7,545 as of fall 2025, its setting is city, and the campus size is 234 acres. The student-faculty ratio at Southern Methodist University is 11 to one, and it utilizes a semester-based academic calendar.
Baylor University, Texas Christian University ranked #90 in 100 Best Colleges
Baylor University is a private institution that was founded in 1845. In the 2027 edition of Best Colleges, Baylor University is ranked No. 90 in national universities. It's also ranked No. 25 in best undergraduate teaching.
It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 14,183 as of fall 2025, its setting is city, and the campus size is 1,000 acres. The student-faculty ratio at Baylor University is 14 to one, and it utilizes a semester-based academic calendar.
Texas Christian University is a private institution that was founded in 1873. In the 2027 edition of Best Colleges, Texas Christian University is ranked No. 90 in national universities. It's also ranked No. 48 in lowest acceptance rates.
It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 11,152 as of fall 2025, its setting is city, and the campus size is 312 acres. The student-faculty ratio at Texas Christian University is 13 to one, and it utilizes a semester-based academic calendar.
What is UTEP ranked on the 100 Best Colleges List?
UTEP is ranked No. 262 in national universities rankings.
The University of Texas at El Paso is a public institution that was founded in 1914. In the 2027 edition of Best Colleges, UTEP is ranked No. 262 in national universities. It's also ranked No. 43 in top performers on social mobility.
It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 22,234 as of fall 2025, its setting is city, and the campus size is 421 acres. The student-faculty ratio at the University of Texas at El Paso is 20 to one, and it utilizes a semester-based academic calendar.
UTEP accepts the Common Application and has a test-optional admissions policy. The school's in-state tuition and fees are $9,772, while out-of-state tuition and fees are $25,090. Eighty percent of first-year students receive need-based financial aid, and the average net price for federal loan recipients is $10,061.
Six years after graduation, the median salary for graduates is $37,978.
Find the full list of top 100 universities at usnewsandworldreport.com
María Cortés González may be reached at 915-546-6150; mcortes@elpasotimes.com; @eptmaria.bsky.social on Bluesky, and @eptmariacg on TikTok
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Six Texas universities make the top 100 best colleges
