Source: Visitors walk through the new, redesigned Academic Quad on the campus of Rice University, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, in Houston. The revamped, four-acre space included the refreshed pathways through the space flanked by trees, community spaces and benches and the relocation of the statue of university founder William Marsh Rice. The relocation including the addition of historical context about Rice, including his ownership of enslaved people. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
U.S. News & World Report released their “2026 Best Colleges in Texas” list , where they ranked all of the Lone Star State’s major public universities, midsize to smaller colleges, liberal arts schools and private colleges based on several criteria. Out of all the schools in Texas, three Houston-based universities made the top 10.
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The list is built out from U.S. News & World Report’s overall list comprised of over 1,700 schools from across the country that grant bachelor’s degrees.
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Scroll through this list to see where the Houston schools landed, and where your Texas-based school may rank!
1. Rice University
City: Houston
National Rank: No. 17
Tuition: $65,475
Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,789
Acceptance Rate: 8%
Ranked No. 5 in Best Value Schools
2. University of Texas–Austin
City: Austin
National Rank: No. 30
Tuition: $44,908 ($11,687 in-state)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 43,165
Acceptance Rate: 27%
Ranked No. 7 in Top Public Schools
3. Texas A&M University
City: College Station
National Rank: No. 51
Tuition: $40,157 ($12,928)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 60,710
Acceptance Rate: 57%
Ranked No. 21 in Top Public Schools
4. Baylor University
City: Waco
National Rank: No. 88
Tuition: $63,620
Undergraduate Enrollment: 14,915
Acceptance Rate: 51%
Ranked No. 27 in Best Undergraduate Teaching
5. Southern Methodist University
City: Dallas
National Rank: No. 88
Tuition: $69,722
Undergraduate Enrollment: 7,285
Acceptance Rate: 63%
Ranked No. 55 in Best Colleges
6. Texas Christian University
City: Fort Worth
National Rank: No. 97
Tuition: $63,590
Undergraduate Enrollment: 11,049
Acceptance Rate: 44%
Ranked No. 39 in Best Undergraduate Teaching
7. The University of Texas–Dallas
City: Richardson
National Rank: No. 110
Tuition: $40,164 ($14,664 in-state)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 21,858
Acceptance Rate: 65%
Ranked No. 54 in Top Public Schools
8. University of Houston
City: Houston
National Rank: No. 132
Tuition: $27,776 ($11,888 in-state)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 39,257
Acceptance Rate: 74%
Ranked No. 40 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
9. Texas Tech University
City: Lubbock
National Rank: No. 198
Tuition: $24,152 ($11,852 in-state)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 32,580
Acceptance Rate: 73%
Ranked No. 109 in Top Public Schools
10. University of St. Thomas
City: Houston
National Rank: No. 198
Tuition: $35,754
Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,395
Acceptance Rate: 90%
Ranked No. 8 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
11. University of North Texas
City: Denton
National Rank: No. 208
Tuition: $23,963 ($11,663 in-state)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 34,458
Acceptance Rate: 72%
Ranked No. 34 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
12. University of Texas–Rio Grande Valley
City: Edinburg
National Rank: No. 213
Tuition: N/A
Undergraduate Enrollment: 28,674
Acceptance Rate: 94%
13. The University of Texas–San Antonio
City: San Antonio
National Rank: No. 213
Tuition: $26,750 ($10,600 in-state)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 31,127
Acceptance Rate:
Ranked No. 27 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
14. The University of Texas–Arlington
City: Arlington
National Rank: No. 222
Tuition: $29,432 ($11,950)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 32,545
Acceptance Rate: 80%
Ranked No. 42 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
15. Sam Houston State University
City: Huntsville
National Rank: No. 257
Tuition: $23,520 ($11,370 in-state)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 17,787
Acceptance Rate: 90%
Ranked No. 52 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
16. Texas State University
City: San Marcos
National Rank: No. 257
Tuition: $24,540 ($12,240)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 36,236
Acceptance Rate: 90%
Ranked No. 144 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
17. The University of Texas–El Paso
City: El Paso
National Rank: No. 257
Tuition: $21,164 ($8,508 in-state)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 21,118
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Ranked No. 52 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
18. University of the Incarnate Word
City: San Antonio
National Rank: No. 293
Tuition: $38,650
Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,638
Acceptance Rate: 98%
Ranked No. 74 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
19. University of Houston–Clear Lake
City: Houston
National Rank: No. 318
Tuition: $25,978 ($9,298 in-state)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 6,029
Acceptance Rate: 92%
Ranked No. 170 in Top Public Schools
20. Abilene Christian University
City: Abilene
National Rank: No. 329
Tuition: $44,200
Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,233
Acceptance Rate: 66%
Ranked No. 13 in First-Year Experiences
21. Texas Woman’s University
City: Denton
National Rank: No. 329
Tuition: $22,840 ($10,540 in-state)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 10,034
Acceptance Rate: 96%
Ranked No. 69 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
22. The University of Texas at Tyler
City: Tyler
National Rank: No. 329
Tuition: $25,184 ($9,736 in-state)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 7,683
Acceptance Rate: 94%
Ranked No. 178 in Top Public Schools
23. Prairie View A&M University
City: Prairie View
National Rank: No. 343
Tuition: $22,590 ($7,386 in-state)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 8,836
Acceptance Rate: 78%
Ranked No. 117 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
24. Texas A&M University–Kingsville
City: Kingsville
National Rank: No. 352
Tuition: $22,948 ($9,892 in-state)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 5,386
Acceptance Rate: 91%
Ranked No. 104 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
25. Tarleton State University
City: Stephenville
National Rank: No. 373
Tuition: $22,480 ($10,180)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 15,130
Acceptance Rate: 53%
Ranked No. 53 in Lowest Acceptance Rates
