UT Austin Named Top University in Texas and Among Top 20 in U.S.

The University of Texas at Austin has reaffirmed its status as the academic leader of the Lone Star State. 

In the 2026 QS World University Rankings, published by the global higher education analytics firm Quacquarelli Symonds, UT Austin achieved an international ranking of No. 68. It secured a position among the Top 20 U.S. universities, marking it as the sole Texas institution to reach this milestone.

Renowned for its graduate employability and leadership in areas such as engineering, media and communications, library sciences, and environmental studies, UT’s standing on the international stage distinctly differentiates it from its in-state rivals.

In the global rankings, UT-Austin surpassed Rice University (No. 119) and Texas A&M University (No. 144), intensifying the enduring rivalry among Texas colleges. 

Some other Texas universities were included in the list, yet they all placed significantly lower:

• University of Houston – 556th
• UT Dallas – No. 597
• Texas Tech University – Ranked between 731 and 740
• University of North Texas – Ranked between 901 and 950
• UT Arlington, UT San Antonio, Baylor University – Ranked between 1,001 and 1,200
• UT El Paso – Ranked between 1,201 and 1,400

The top global accolades were awarded to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in first place, followed by Stanford University in third place and Harvard University in fifth. Among the other prestigious institutions in the U.S. Top 20 are Caltech, the University of Chicago, and Yale.

UT Austin’s ascent underscores the university’s expanding international standing and its influence across various academic fields and sectors. 

This latest ranking not only grants the flagship campus bragging rights in Texas but also solidifies its position as a world-class institution with a vibrant future ahead. Indeed, hook ’em Horns.