U.S. News & World Report Ranks WT Among Best Schools in West

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — West Texas A&M University once again is one of the top schools in the West, according to newly released rankings from U.S. News & World Report.

WT ranked at No. 20 among Best Value Schools among schools in the West. The University rose to No. 56 in the magazine’s Regional Universities (West) list, up one from 2022-23, and WT also placed at No. 27 in the list of Top Public Universities in the West.

WT also ranked among Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs, Best Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs and Top Performers on Social Mobility.

“We are pleased by the spotlight U.S. News and World Report annual rankings continue to shine on WT’s academic degree programs,” said Dr. Neil Terry, executive vice president and provost. “Providing quality degree options that earn national recognition while maintaining cost-effective pricing is a competitive advantage for many of our majors.”

“These rankings reinforce the values that are found at WT,” said President Walter V. Wendler. “Our commitment is to teaching excellence while remaining focused on serving the Texas Panhandle region. We are proud to be The Panhandle’s University and continue this tradition of excellence.”

U.S. News’ Best Colleges rankings provide data-driven information and guidance to help prospective students and their families understand their higher education options.

U.S. News' directory of institutions contains each school's rankings data and key characteristics about majors, campus life, costs of attending, and more. Users can filter schools by selected academic and non-academic characteristics along their priorities. Only academic data from U.S. News’ surveys and reliable third-party sources are used to calculate each ranking factor.

In an effort to place more emphasis on social mobility and outcomes, new factors were added to this year’s rankings, including first-generation graduation rates, first-generation graduation rate performance and proportion of college graduates earning more than a high school graduate. The definition of social mobility changed this year in the National Universities ranking to include first-generation graduation rates, in addition to Pell-recipient graduation rates.

Earlier this year, WT earned 11 total Best Program accolades for online programs, including the No. 1 online bachelor’s programs for veterans and the No. 3 online MBA program for veterans.

WT’s commitment to being a learner-centered university is a key component of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the campaign — which publicly launched in September 2021— has raised more than $125 million and will continue through 2025.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

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