West Texas A&M University made a remarkable advancement in its standing among other West schools, according to newly released rankings from the U.S. News & World Report.
Among the Best Value Schools in the West, WT ranked number 5, skyrocketing from 20 in 2022 to 2023. In the magazine Regional Universities (West) list, the school rose from 56 the previous year to 47 this year. WT placed number 24 on the list of Top Public Universities in the West, moving up three spots.
“Accolades from U.S. News & World Report provide strong affirmation that West Texas A&M University is setting a very high bar for academic excellence when compared with the best institutions in the country,” Dr. Neil Terry, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs said. “The recognition is possible because of the WT faculty and staff’s dedication to student success.”
U.S. News’ Best Colleges rankings gives data-driven information and guidance to help prospective students and their families understand their options for higher education. U.S. News’ directory of institutions contains each school’s ranking data and key characteristics about majors, campus life, cost of attending and more. Users can filter schools by selected academic and non-academic characteristics based on their chosen priorities.
“West Texas A&M University is committed to redefining excellence in higher education,” WT President Walter V. Wendler said. “Recognition from agencies like U.S. News that track academic excellence across all institutions is further evidence for students and families that WT is a superior choice for their higher education dreams and goals. We want to attract students who are not afraid of excellence.”
U.S. News analysts and editors calculated more than 80 Best Colleges rankings by using a wide range of data sources. They did this with the intent of enabling students and their families to find colleges that best meet their needs. The rankings highlight colleges that excel in areas such as value, social mobility, teaching, veteran’s needs, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and in six academic disciplines – Business, Computer Science, Engineering, Nursing, Economics and Psychology.
Back in February of this year, U.S. News ranked WT’s online bachelor’s program at number 45 in the nation, then number three in Texas. A total of 11 programs earned the magazine’s coveted Best Program status: online bachelor’s programs, online bachelor’s programs for veterans, online undergraduate business programs, online MBA, online MBA for veterans, and graduate programs in computer information technology, criminal justice and public administration, education, engineering, business (non-MBA) and nursing.
WT has committed to being a learner-centered university. This is a vital component of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World, fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. One West reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in Sept. 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, One West has raised nearly $160 million.
