UT-Austin ranks second in best Texas colleges, study shows. See which school ranks first
The University of Texas at Austin has been ranked the second-best college in Texas, according to a study published Monday.
Texas college rivalries are serious — and WalletHub's new analysis is sure to ruffle some feathers. The study compared over 800 higher-education institutions throughout the country across 30 key measures. These measures fell into seven categories and included factors such as student-faculty ratio, graduation rate and post-attendance median salary.
"In general, universities tend to rank higher than colleges due to their inclusion of graduate-level programs, greater on-campus opportunities and higher earnings for students post-graduation," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo explains. "In fact, the top 10 places for higher education in the U.S. are all universities. There are still tons of high-ranking colleges, though, which offer their own advantages like smaller class sizes, more personalized learning and often safer campuses."
So, how do Texas colleges measure up against other U.S. institutions — and each other? Here's what the study revealed.
People are also reading: These 5 Texas universities rank among top 100 US News best colleges for 2025. See list
Rice University among best universities in the US
Rice University ranked sixth among the best higher-education institutions in the nation, along with the fifth-highest graduation rate. The Houston university also earned a score in the 99th percentile — making it one of just 12 institutions throughout the country to do so. Rice claimed the second-highest school for education outcomes, beat only by Duke University in North Carolina.
Here are the top 10 colleges and universities in the U.S., as determined by WalletHub analysts:
Princeton University — New Jersey
Yale University — Connecticut
Harvard University — Massachusetts
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Dartmouth College — New Hampshire
Rice University — Texas
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
Carnegie Mellon University — Pennsylvania
Northwestern University — Illinois
Johns Hopkins University — Maryland
Other Texas institutions also scored high in certain categories. McMurry University was among a five-way tie for the safest institution of higher education. The University of the Incarnate Word reported the lowest student-loan debt, and Huston-Tillotson University and the University of Texas at Dallas had the third- and fifth-lowest debts, respectively.
Meanwhile, a handful of Texas schools ranked among the bottom in other areas. The University of Texas at Dallas tied with three others for the highest student-faculty ratio out of the more than 800 schools analyzed, and the University of Texas at San Antonio had the sixth-highest ratio. Texas Southern University had the second-lowest graduation rate.
The University of Houston-Downtown had the fifth-lowest share of international students. Both Texas Christian University and Baylor University were included in a sixth-way tie for having the highest student loan debt.
LIST: Best colleges/universities in Texas
Rice University may reign at the top of WalletHub's analysis, but UT-Austin followed directly behind among the state's top high-education institutions. Where does your college fall?
More on UT-Austin: UT-Austin is Texas' top public school in US News best college rankings 2025
Here is how Texas institutions lined up in national ranking:
