5 Texas universities make Forbes’ list of ‘Top 100’ colleges in America

One Lone Star State school even cracked the top 10 for the very first time.

Five Texas universities made it into the “Top 100” in Forbes’ list of the 500 top colleges in America for 2024-2025, and one of those schools even cracked the top 10.

For the first time, Rice University in Houston was among the highest ranked on the annual list, jumping from No. 22 last year to No. 9 this year, largely due to its graduates’ low student debt. Earlier this year, Rice was recognized as one of the “New Ivies,” a distinction shared by 10 private and 10 public schools.

Notably, six Texas HBCUs secured spots in the top 500, doubling last year’s count of three, which comes as some public universities have cut back on diversity initiatives after all state-funded colleges and universities in Texas were forced to close their diversity, equity and inclusion offices under a measure signed into law by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

Separately, the University of Houston ascended 22 spots to rank No. 46 among public universities on the latest Forbes list. Among all colleges and universities, UH rose 37 spots to land at No. 115, and Forbes ranks UH in the top 100 for research-focused universities, landing at No. 85.

Here is where Texas schools ranked for the best universities in America.

• 9.) Rice University
• 46.) University of Texas at Austin
• 70.) Texas A&M University, College Station
• 95.) Trinity University
• 99.) Southern Methodist University
• 115.) University of Houston
• 126.) University of Texas, Dallas
• 152.) Baylor University
• 205.) Texas Tech
• 209.) University of North Texas
• 220.) Texas Christian University
• 253.) University of Texas, Arlington
• 272.) University of Texas at San Antonio
• 280.) University of Texas, El Paso
• 284.) Southwestern University
• 298.) Abilene Christina University
• 384.) Texas Woman’s University
• 421.) Sam Houston State University
• 428.) University of Dallas
• 437.) St. Edward’s University
• 442.) University of St. Thomas
• 500.) University of Houston, Clear Lake

Forbes ranked the schools based on several factors, including alumni salary and success (the earnings of graduates and their career success), student debt (the average debt students incur and their ability to repay it after graduation), return on investment (the long-term financial return), graduation rate (the percentage of students who complete their degree within a set period) and retention rate (the number of students who return for their second year).

Outside of Texas, Princeton University grabbed the No. 1 spot, with a 97 percent six-year graduation rate for low-income students. Stanford came in at No. 2, Massachusetts of Technology (MIT) was No. 3, Yale No. 4 and the University of California, Berkeley rounded out the top 5.