Major Texas universities plunge in U.S. News 2027 Best Colleges list

Key Points:

• Six Texas universities ranked in the top 100 of U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges of 2027, with Rice University leading at No. 16 nationally, tied with Brown, Vanderbilt, and Washington University in St. Louis.
• The University of Texas-Austin dropped four places to No. 34, Texas A&M fell eight places to No. 59, Southern Methodist University rose three places to No. 85, Baylor fell two places to No. 90, and Texas Christian University improved seven places to No. 90.
• Several Texas universities outside the top 100 experienced significant shifts, including the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley dropping 37 places to No. 250 and Texas State University falling 31 places to No. 288, while others like Prairie View A&M and Abilene Christian University saw notable rises.
• In regional rankings for the West, Texas schools dominated with St. Edward's University at No. 6 and University of Dallas tied at No. 10 among regional universities, and Southwestern Adventist University and Texas Lutheran University tied at No. 12 among regional colleges.
• The University of Houston ranked No. 67 among public U.S. universities and fourth among Texas public universities, also placing in the top 100 for Most Innovative Schools (No. 65), Best Value Schools (No. 78), and Best Colleges for Veterans (No. 96).