The Big 12 has had its fair share of athletic success in a number of sports. Its member schools also have strong academic reputations.
According to U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best Colleges rankings, four of the expanded Big 12’s universities rank within the top 100 in the US News report. The Oklahoma Sooners were just outside the top five in the conference.
U.S. News takes into account faculty resources, graduation rates and student outcomes to come to its rankings.
In the new-look Big 12, enrollment ranges from TCU, just over 10,000, to UCF, just over 60,000 students.
Using U.S. News’ rankings as a guide, here’s how the Big 12 schools in the new-look Big 12 stack up academically, according to U.S. News in the current calendar year.
University of Texas
Sept. 21, 2019; Austin, Texas; Texas Longhorns fans in the second half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Location: Austin, Texas
U.S. News rank: 38
Total enrollment fall 2021: 40,916
4-year graduation rate: 70{515baef3fee8ea94d67a98a2b336e0215adf67d225b0e21a4f5c9b13e8fbd502}
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Baylor University
Sept. 11, 2021; Waco, Texas; Baylor Bears fans celebrate a touchdown in the second quarter of the game against the Texas Southern Tigers at McLane Stadium. Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Location: Waco, Texas
U.S. News rank: 77
Total enrollment fall 2021: 15,191
4-year graduation rate: 68{515baef3fee8ea94d67a98a2b336e0215adf67d225b0e21a4f5c9b13e8fbd502}
Texas Christian University
Oct. 22, 2022; Fort Worth, Texas; TCU Horned Frogs fans hold up phones during a time out in the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
U.S. News rank: 89
Total enrollment fall 2021: 10,222
4-year graduation rate: 71{515baef3fee8ea94d67a98a2b336e0215adf67d225b0e21a4f5c9b13e8fbd502}
Brigham Young University
Sept. 10, 2022; Provo, Utah; Brigham Young Cougars fans storm the field after the Cougars beat the Baylor Bears at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Gabriel Mayberry-USA TODAY Sports
Location: Provo, Utah
U.S. News rank: 89
Total enrollment fall 2021: 31,633
4-year graduation rate: 25{515baef3fee8ea94d67a98a2b336e0215adf67d225b0e21a4f5c9b13e8fbd502}
University of Kansas
Nov. 5, 2022; Lawrence, Kansas; Kansas Jayhawks fans celebrate against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the second half of the game at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Location: Lawrence, Kansas
U.S. News rank: 121
Total enrollment fall 2021: 19,158
4-year graduation rate: 50{515baef3fee8ea94d67a98a2b336e0215adf67d225b0e21a4f5c9b13e8fbd502}
University of Oklahoma
Oklahoma fans cheer during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Baylor Bears at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022.
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
U.S. News rank: 127
Total enrollment fall 2021: 21,152
4-year graduation rate: 50{515baef3fee8ea94d67a98a2b336e0215adf67d225b0e21a4f5c9b13e8fbd502}
Iowa State University of Science and Technology
Oct. 23, 2021; Ames, Iowa; Fans storm the field after the game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Jack Trice Stadium. Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Location: Ames, Iowa
U.S. News rank: 127
Total enrollment fall 2021: 25,808
4-year graduation rate: 51{515baef3fee8ea94d67a98a2b336e0215adf67d225b0e21a4f5c9b13e8fbd502}
University of Central Florida
Dec. 3, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana; UCF Knights fans react to a touchdown against the Tulane Green Wave during the second half at Yulman Stadium. Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Location: Orlando, Florida
U.S. News rank: 137
Total enrollment fall 2021: 60,075
4-year graduation rate: 46{515baef3fee8ea94d67a98a2b336e0215adf67d225b0e21a4f5c9b13e8fbd502}
University of Cincinnati
Dec. 31, 2021; Arlington, Texas; Cincinnati Bearcats fans cheer during the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Cincinnati Bearcats the 2021 Cotton Bowl college football CFP national semifinal game at AT&T Stadium. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
U.S. News rank: 151
Total enrollment fall 2021: 28,910
4-year graduation rate: 39{515baef3fee8ea94d67a98a2b336e0215adf67d225b0e21a4f5c9b13e8fbd502}
Kansas State University
Nov. 26, 2022; Manhattan, Kansas; Kansas State Wildcats fans hold up signs after a victory over the Kansas Jayhawks at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
Location: Manhattan, Kansas
U.S. News rank: 166
Total enrollment fall 2021: 15,619
4-year graduation rate: 41{515baef3fee8ea94d67a98a2b336e0215adf67d225b0e21a4f5c9b13e8fbd502}
Oklahoma State University
Oct. 31, 2020; Stillwater, Oklahoma; Oklahoma State Cowboys fans and students hold up their seat cushions and yell during overtime against the Texas Longhorns at Boone Pickens Stadium. Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Location: Stillwater, Oklahoma
U.S. News rank: 182
Total enrollment fall 2021: 20,197
4-year graduation rate: 45{515baef3fee8ea94d67a98a2b336e0215adf67d225b0e21a4f5c9b13e8fbd502}
University of Houston
March 18, 2023; Birmingham, Alabama; Fans of the Houston Cougars during the first half against the Auburn Tigers at Legacy Arena. Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
Location: Houston, Texas
U.S. News rank: 182
Total enrollment fall 2021: 38,581
4-year graduation rate: 38{515baef3fee8ea94d67a98a2b336e0215adf67d225b0e21a4f5c9b13e8fbd502}
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech football players and fans celebrate the team’s win against Oklahoma, Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, Jones AT&T Stadium. Texas Tech won, 51-48, in overtime.
Location: Lubbock, Texas
U.S. News rank: 219
Total enrollment fall 2021: 33,132
4-year graduation rate: 38{515baef3fee8ea94d67a98a2b336e0215adf67d225b0e21a4f5c9b13e8fbd502}
West Virginia University
Oct. 29, 2022; Morgantown, West Virginia; West Virginia Mountaineers fans cheer during the first quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Location: Morgantown, West Virginia
U.S. News rank: 234
Total enrollment fall 2021: 19,599
4-year graduation rate: 44{515baef3fee8ea94d67a98a2b336e0215adf67d225b0e21a4f5c9b13e8fbd502}
