Rice University has secured its position as the top college in Texas and achieved an impressive ranking of No. 11 nationwide in WalletHub’s 2027 college rankings. Trinity University follows closely in second place within the state, holding the No. 49 spot nationally, while the University of Texas at Austin ranks third in Texas and No. 63 overall.
In a recent report released on October 12, WalletHub evaluated 738 higher education institutions as students across Texas prepare to apply for admission for the fall of 2027. The report highlights that private universities in the state have struggled with cost and financing, while major public universities have ranked low nationally regarding faculty resources.
The top ten colleges and universities in Texas, along with their national rankings, are as follows:
- Rice University – No. 11 nationally
- Trinity University – No. 49 nationally
- The University of Texas at Austin – No. 63 nationally
- Texas A&M University – No. 136 nationally
- Southwestern University – No. 168 nationally
- University of Dallas – No. 174 nationally
- Austin College, Sherman – No. 194 nationally
- Texas Christian University – No. 223 nationally
- LeTourneau University – No. 248 nationally
- The University of Texas at Dallas – No. 266 nationally
The rankings continue with Southern Methodist University, Baylor University, Texas A&M International University, Texas Tech University, and the University of Houston rounding out the state’s top 15 institutions.
WalletHub’s analysis involved comparing schools based on 30 different metrics across seven categories. These categories included student selectivity, cost and financing, faculty resources, campus safety, campus experience, educational outcomes, and career outcomes.
In terms of faculty resources, Rice University ranked fourth nationally and was only surpassed by Georgia Tech among southern institutions. However, the cost of attendance presented challenges for many private institutions; Rice University was ranked 666th for cost and financing, while Southern Methodist University ranked even lower at 734th.
Several of Texas’ large public universities also faced difficulties in the faculty resources category, which assesses factors like student-faculty ratios and class sizes. The University of Texas at Dallas ranked 734th, while the University of Texas at Arlington placed 727th, the University of North Texas at 716th, and the University of Houston at 715th.
The comprehensive data for this report was gathered from reputable sources, including the National Center for Education Statistics and the U.S. Department of Education, with information collected as of September 14. WalletHub indicates that the average annual cost for tuition, room, and board at a four-year college ranges from approximately $31,000 to $65,000.
