Head of the class

2 Dallas universities earn top-10 honors in new list of Texas' best colleges for 2024

University of Dallas ranked No. 7 in Texas.

Photo courtesy of University of Dallas

College students looking for an exemplary education in Texas can still apply to Dallas' consistently top-ranking universities before their early decision deadline November 1.

Perfect timing, asSouthern Methodist University has earned the No. 6 spot in WalletHub's 2024 ranking of the best colleges and universities in Texas.

The personal finance experts analyzed more than 800 colleges and universities in the United States using 30 metrics to determine their rankings.

Factors that helped determine SMU's placement include its admittance rate (52 percent), graduation rate (75 percent as of 2015), an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio, its gender and racial diversity, net cost, and more.

SMU's placement on the WalletHub list follows a recent No. 4 ranking on U.S. News' list of best colleges in Texas and No. 5 on Niche's list of Texas' best.

According to U.S. News and World Report, SMU's tuition and fees cost $64,460.

Gerardo L. Blanco, an associate professor at Boston College, provided some advice for prospective students aiming to graduate college with minimal debt and significant job prospects in their chosen degree field. He advised that students learn the difference between a university's "sticker price" versus the net price after financial aid. It could be particularly useful for students planning for a post-secondary education at private institutions like SMU.

"There are public universities, both flagship and regional, that offer great value for money," Blanco said. "Many private non-profit institutions are committed to promoting access and, even with higher sticker prices, offer generous financial aid."

Right behind SMU in the WalletHub survey is The University of Dallas, earning No. 7 in Texas. The private Catholic university has a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio, a 59 percent acceptance rate, and a 67 percent graduation rate for four-year students, according to U.S. News. Tuition costs add up to $50,880.

In WalletHub's regional ranking of best universities in the South, SMU earned No. 35, and University of Dallas ranked No. 38.

Out of the top 500 universities in the nation, SMU ranked No. 170 and University of Dallas ranked No. 184. Yale University took the No. 1 spot in the country, followed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (No. 2), Princeton University in New Jersey (No. 3), and California Institute of Technology (No. 4). Harvard University in Massachusetts rounded out the top five.

Elsewhere in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas Christian University ranked No. 10 in the state and No. 222 nationwide.

The top 10 colleges and universities in Texas are:

No. 1 – Rice University, Houston
No. 2 – The University of Texas at Austin
No. 3 – Trinity University, San Antonio
No. 4 – Texas A&M University-College Station
No. 5 – Southwestern University
No. 6 – Southern Methodist University
No. 7 – University of Dallas
No. 8 – Austin College
No. 9 – LeTourneau University
No. 10 – Texas Christian University

The full report can be found on wallethub.com.

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Fun times in the city

Dallas swings a spot on new list of most fun cities in U.S. for 2024

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Dallas just wants to have fun, according to WalletHub's new ranking of the most fun cities in America in 2024.

The annual report ranked Dallas No. 31 out of 182 U.S. cities.

WalletHub's experts compared each city using 65 metrics to determine their level of "fun." Metrics were split among three main categories: entertainment and recreation, nightlife and parties, and cost.

According to the study's findings, Dallas was 24th nationally in the category for nightlife and parties, and ranked No. 39 in the "entertainment and recreation" category. That may be especially alluring for anyone who wants to explore the city's vast entertainment opportunities (especially during the holiday season), family-friendly recreational activities, top dining destinations, and more. Plus, Dallas is home to entertainment juggernauts like the State Fair of Texas and TopGolf.

Dallas performed poorly in the overall cost category, earning No. 114 out of all 182 cities. However, this category mostly compares flat costs rather than affordability based on local cost of living.

Potential new Dallasites should do their research before deciding to move here, rather than basing their decision on short trips and vacations alone. But we won't blame them for wanting to live in one of the best cities in the world.

"The top cities offer affordable options for year-round fun for their residents, which is good for residents’ wallets and their mental health," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo in the report.

Austin (No. 6) and Houston (No. 9) were the only Texas cities to earn a spot in the top 10 most fun U.S. cities list. Austin moved up one spot from last year, while Houston made a 10-place jump.

Other fun-filled Texas cities that made it in the top 100 are El Paso (No. 53), Fort Worth (No. 55), Plano (No. 78), Arlington (No. 79), and Corpus Christi (No. 99).

The top 10 most fun U.S. cities are:

No. 1 – Las Vegas, Nevada
No. 2 – Orlando, Florida
No. 3 – Miami, Florida
No. 4 – Atlanta, Georgia
No. 5 – New Orleans, Louisiana
No. 6 – Austin, Texas
No. 7 – San Francisco, California
No. 8 – Chicago, Illinois
No. 9 – Houston, Texas
No. 10 – New York City, New York

Cities were evaluated based on the number of attractions per capita, nightlife activities per capita, the average prices for eating at a restaurant or buying a movie ticket, and more. Data was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau, The Trust for Public Land, and the Council for Community and Economic Research, among others.

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