The Biggest Universities in Texas

Texas is home to several large colleges and universities. 32 of the 36 universities in the state belong to one of the six state university systems. Nine of the universities in Texas are research universities. Below are some of the biggest universities in Texas.

Biggest Universities In Texas By Enrollment

Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University is the largest university in Texas by enrollment with 62,915 students (2017). It is also the US’ 2nd-largest university after the University of Central Florida. Texas A&M University is located in College Station. It is an institution of the Texas A&M University System, one of the endowments in the country. It is the only university in Texas designated as space grant, sea, and land institution. Texas A&M University was the first public institution in Texas, opened in October 1876 as Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas.

The University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at Austin, founded in 1883, is also a public research university and 8th largest university in the US with an enrolment of 51,427 students and over 20,000 faculty and staff (2017). It was the founding member of the University of Texas System. The University of Texas at Austin has 17 libraries and 7 museums and operates several other research facilities such as McDonald Observatory and J. J. Pickle Research Campus. The university has produced 11 Nobel Prize winners and one Field medalist.

University of Houston

The University of Houston was founded in 1927 and is currently Texas’ third largest university with 42,704 students (2017). The university has 14 colleges on campus, offering over 280 degrees programs. A public research institution, The University of Houston conducts US$150 million every year in research and has over 40 research centers and institutes within the campus. The university awards close to 10,000 degrees annually, with alumni base exceeding 250,000.

The University of Texas at Arlington

The University of Texas at Arlington, located in Arlington, is the 4th largest university in Texas with an enrolment of about 42,000 students. It is one of the fastest growing research universities in the country. Opened in 1895, UTA was an institution of the Texas A&M University system for about 70 years before joining the University of Texas System in 1965.

Texas State University

Texas State University is also one of the nine public research universities in Texas. It was founded in 1899 and opened in 1903 as Southwest Texas State Normal School. The university has since grown into the largest university in the Texas State University System with an enrolment of 38,694 students. Texas State University has 10 colleges and 50 schools and departments.

Texas House Bill 588

Texas is one of the few places in the US where the law guarantees admission to a public university. In 1997, Governor George W Bush signed into law the Texas House Bill 588 that guarantees that any student in Texas who graduates in the top 10% of their high school class is automatically admitted to any of the state-funded university.