Texas Christian University is maintaining its shining reputation among the top colleges in the U.S., as evidenced by a new batch of rankings from WalletHub.
WalletHub ranked TCU as the No. 5 best university in Texas for 2026, and the 32nd best university in the South. TCU also ranked as the 163rd best university in the country, a five spot jump from its 2024 ranking.
The personal finance website’s experts analyzed nearly 800 colleges and universities in the U.S. using 30 key metrics, including factors like student-faculty ratios, graduation rates, campus safety, and many more.
Topping the statewide list is Houston’s Rice University, which also ranked No. 9 in the national comparison. The University of Texas at Austin (No. 2), Trinity University in San Antonio (No. 3), and Texas A&M University in College Station (No. 4) round out the top five.
TCU also outranked its cross-town rival Southern Methodist University for the second year in a row. SMU tied with Florida Southern College as the 60th best university in the South, and it ranked No. 293 nationally.
The home of the Horned Frogs was ranked across seven major categories in the report, and scored highly for its student educational outcomes (No. 91), career outcomes (No. 94), and student selectivity (No. 119).
Here’s how TCU performed in the remaining five categories:
No. 270 – Campus safetyNo. 344 – Campus experienceNo. 349 – Faculty resourcesNo. 753 – Cost and financing
U.S. News & World Report says tuition and fees at TCU can add up to more than $63,000 per year for in-state students, with the total cost adding up to nearly $85,000 when factoring in the price for housing, food, books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses. That likely explains why the university lagged behind in the financial category.
Other DFW-area universities
Other Dallas-Fort Worth universities that earned spots in the report include the University of Dallas (No. 49 in the South; No. 245 nationally), The University of Texas at Dallas (No. 51 in the South; No. 259 nationally), and University of North Texas (No. 115 in the South; No. 475 nationally).
Three DFW universities went unranked in WalletHub’s national list, but appeared in the regional list of best universities in the South for 2026: The University of Texas at Arlington (No. 149), Dallas Baptist University (No. 118), and Texas Wesleyan University (No. 217).
The 10 best colleges and universities in Texas for 2026 are:
No. 1 – Rice University, HoustonNo. 2 – The University of Texas at AustinNo. 3 – Trinity University, San AntonioNo. 4 – Texas A&M University-College StationNo. 5 – Texas Christian University, Fort WorthNo. 6 – Austin College, ShermanNo. 7 – Southwestern University, GeorgetownNo. 8 – University of DallasNo. 9 – The University of Texas at DallasNo. 10 – University of Houston