4 Dallas-area universities make 2026 list of world’s best schools

Four Dallas-Fort Worth universities are in a class of their own, earning spots on a new global ranking of the world's best universities.

The University of Texas at Dallas, University of North Texas, Southern Methodist University, and University of Texas at Arlington are among the top 1,200 schools included in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Eight more schools across Texas make the list.

QS (Quacquarelli Symonds), a London-based provider of higher education data and analytics, compiles the prestigious list each year; the 2026 edition includes more than 1,500 universities from around the world.

Factors used to rank the schools include academic reputation; employer reputation; faculty-student ratio; faculty research; and international research, students, and faculty.

In Texas, University of Texas at Austin lands at No. 1 in the state, No. 20 in the U.S., and No. 68 globally.

Among DFW schools, UTD ranks highest, at No. 85 in the U.S. and No. 597 globally. It's followed by UNT (No. 123 nationally and No. 901-950 globally); and SMU and UTA, which somehow tie for No. 136 nationally and 1,001-12,00 globally.

These same schools have been on a roll in regional, national, and international rankings the past year. In April, they all secured spots on U.S. News & World's Report's list of the best grad schools. SMU was named a top-10 Texas university in WalletHub's 2025 rankings. And SMU and UTD earned top spots in U.S. News' rankings of best colleges for 2025.

In all, 192 U.S. universities made the 2026 QS World University Rankings — the most of any country. Topping the global list is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

“The results show that while U.S. higher education remains the global leader, its dominance is increasingly challenged by fast-rising emerging systems,” says the QS World University Rankings report. “A decade ago, 32 American universities [were] featured in the world’s top 100; today, that number has dropped to 26, and only 11 of these institutions have improved their position this year."

The 12 Texas universities that appear in the QS World University Rankings 2026 list are:

• University of Texas at Austin, No. 20 in the U.S. and No. 68 in the world (down from No. 66 last year).
• Rice University, No. 29 in the U.S. and No. 119 in the world (up from No. 141 last year).
• Texas A&M University, No. 32 in the U.S. and No. 144 in the world (down from No. 154 last year).
• University of Houston, No. 80 in the U.S. and No. 556 in the world (up from 651-660 last year).
• University of Texas at Dallas, No. 85 in the U.S. and No. 597 in the world (down from 596 last year).
• Texas Tech University, No. 104 in the U.S. and No. 731-740 in the world (unchanged from last year).
• University of North Texas, No. 123 in the U.S. and No. 901-950 in the world (up from 1,001-1,200 last year)
• Baylor University, tied for No. 136 in the U.S. and at No. 1,001-1,200 in the world (unchanged from last year).
• Southern Methodist University, tied for No. 136 in the U.S. and at 1,001-1,200 in the world (unchanged from last year).
• University of Texas Arlington, tied for No. 136 in the U.S. and at 1,001-1,200 in the world (unchanged from last year).
• University of Texas at San Antonio, tied for No. 136 in the U.S. and at 1,001-1,200 in the world (unchanged from last year).
• University of Texas at El Paso, No. 172 in the U.S. and at 1,201-1,400 in the world (down from 1,001-1,200 last year).