Texas universities have once again proven they’re a force to be reckoned with in higher education.
In the Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine’s newly released 2026 rankings of the nation’s top schools for entrepreneurship, Texas institutions landed top spots-led by Houston-area universities that dominated both the undergraduate and graduate lists.
The University of Houston claimed the No. 1 spot among undergraduate schools for entrepreneurship studies, beating the University of Texas at Austin, which took second place. They were the only two Texas universities to make the top 10.
The Princeton Review said part of the reason for UH’s win is that alumni of its entrepreneurship studies program have launched more than 1,000 startup companies over the past five years.
Meanwhile, Rice University took the crown as the top graduate school for entrepreneurship studies, while UT Austin ranked third, behind the University of California, Los Angeles. The Princeton Review cited Rice’s achievement as being tied to its Business Plan Competition, described as “the largest and richest student startup competition in the world.” Now in its 25th year, past student competitors have raised more than $6.9 billion in startup funding.
The Princeton Review compiled its rankings from a survey conducted this past summer of nearly 300 schools across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe that offer entrepreneurship studies. Researchers evaluated each institution’s academic offerings, faculty credentials, experiential learning and mentorship opportunities.
In addition to these latest No. 1 rankings for the two Houston schools, the Princeton Review noted that both universities have appeared on their respective top lists for seven consecutive years.
“The colleges and universities that made our lists for 2026 are truly exceptional,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor in chief, in a statement. “Their entrepreneurship studies programs have robust experiential components. Their faculties are outstanding. Their students have access to extraordinary mentors and networking contacts that will serve them well into their careers.”
Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine, added:
“Inside every successful entrepreneur is a willingness to challenge the status quo-and it’s inspiring to see colleges and universities nurturing that spirit of innovation. These programs create real-world opportunities for students to test ideas, build connections, and launch meaningful ventures.”
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This article originally published at Texas universities sweep national rankings-Houston schools take top honors.