U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of St. Thomas-Houston as a top national school in the U.S. at No. 216 in its ‘Best National Universities’ category out of 436 ranking national universities. UST moved up 28 points in this year’s rankings. 

Breakdown of ‘Best National Universities’ Rankings for UST-Houston:

·         UST ranks No. 41 Best Value – National Universities Category

·         UST increased rankings by 94 points to No. 319 
                     for its Undergraduate Nurses Program (tied)

·         UST ranks nationally No. 45 in top performers on Social Mobility

·         UST ranks nationally at No. 175 (tied) in Best Colleges for Veterans 

UST now ranks nationally because of changes in 2022 to its Carnegie classifications due to the University’s conferral of additional doctoral programs.

Prospective students use rankings to discover the best-fit schools, combined with personal considerations and additional resources. 

“For 40 years, students and their families have come to count on Best Colleges as a vital resource as they navigate one of the most important decisions of their lives,” said Eric Gertler, executive chairman and CEO of U.S. News.

Methodology

U.S. News evaluated nearly 1,500 U.S. four-year bachelor’s degree-granting institutions on as many as 19 measures for its 39th ranking edition. These statistics only pertain to measures reflecting academic quality and graduate outcomes – factors universally important to prospective students, like academic reputation, cost of attending, and return on investment. U.S.

UST Ranks No. 41 Best Value

This ranking calculation takes in UST’s excellent academic quality, as indicated by its 2024 U.S. News Best colleges ranking, and the 2022-2023 net cost of attendance for an out-of-state student who received the average level of need-based financial aid. The higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the deal. Only schools ranked in or near the top half of their categories are included because U.S. News considers the most significant values to be among colleges that are above average academically.

UST also increased the rankings by 94 points to No.319 for its Undergraduate Nurses Program (tied). 

UST’s Peavy School of Nursing (PSON) focuses on holistic nursing, which engages with a patient’s body, mind and spirit to care for the whole person. This major prepares students for initial R.N. licensure and entry into the workforce. 

Rankings are determined by the average scores received from surveys of top academics and officials at nursing schools or departments. These officials rated the overall quality of undergraduate BSN programs they were familiar with on a 1-5 scale. Only schools with bachelor-level accreditation by either the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing are included in the rankings.

UST ranks nationally No. 45 in top performers on Social Mobility

This ranking recognizes how well colleges serve low-income students in 2023 based on Pell Grant graduation rates and performance. Over the last several years, UST has launched St. Thomas Promise and Rising Stars Internship Program programs that align with its mission to serve first-generation and economically disadvantaged families in Houston and Texas.

UST Ranks nationally at No. 175 (tied) in Best Colleges for Veterans 

UST is a military-connected student’s springboard to a brighter future. Veteran alumni go on to exciting nursing, education, oil & gas, and healthcare leadership positions.

UST is ranked No. 175 (tied) as a top-ranked national school in the 2024 Best Colleges rankings, participating in federal initiatives helping veterans and active-duty service members pay for their degrees. In addition to participating in the GI Bill and the Yellow Ribbon Program, UST awards Veteran Scholarships to make quality Catholic education affordable for its military-connected students. UST is invested in financially supporting deserving veterans to help them academically succeed with less financial stress. In addition, veterans can save time and money by transferring their military credit to finish college faster. Learn more about earning a Bachelor of Applied Arts & Sciences.

Schools are only included if they are certified for the GI Bill, participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, are a public school, and have enrolled a minimum of 20 full-time and part-time undergraduate veterans and active-duty service members in the 2022-2023 academic year. The institution must also rank in the top half of the 2024 Best Colleges ranking categories, such as National Universities.