“This community of learning ... will excite you, stretch you, expand your world, and make you believe in yourself. This college does marvelous things to multiply talents and to develop character.”
– Loren Pope, Colleges that Change Lives
General Facts
- Founded in 1849, it is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas under its original charter
- North of Dallas 100-acre environmentally green campus
- 1,138 students from 24 states, 14 countries, and the U.S. Virgin Islands
- 11:1 student to faculty ratio, average class size of 16
- 49.7% of the student body represent ethnic minorities; 25.4% are Hispanic. 27.8% of our students are first-generation college students, and 29.3% are Pell-eligible
- NCAA Division III athletics involve more than 32% of the student body in 14 varsity teams
- The Austin College Teaching Program has students graduate with a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and teaching certification in 4.5-years
- In partnership with Austin College, Texas Tech University offers a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication & Innovation with classes on the Austin College campus.
- Austin College gets 100% of its electricity from wind energy, and our greenhouse gas emissions have declined 44% since 2008, despite a growing campus.
Prestigious Academics & Research
- Medical school acceptance rates for a first time Austin College applicant is 66%, compared to only 37% in Texas – 78% higher than average
- 98% of May 2023 graduates completed degrees in four years or less
- 94% of graduates are employed or in graduate or professional school within one year
- 149 student-athletes earned all-conference academic honors last year
- More than 55 areas of study, including a design-your-own major supported by research, internships, study abroad, and other experiential learning opportunities
- Austin College is a top producer of the Fulbright awardees in Texas per capita
Our compass curriculum is designed to meet the ever changing needs of the 21st century. 100% of students complete an applied learning experience which is an internship, research project, leadership or international experience, or an integrated learning project.
Building a Portfolio of Experience Through Applied Learning
- Center for Research, Experiential, Artistic & Transformative Education, CREATE is the home for student research at Austin College, including summer research programs
- The Austin College Student Scholarship Conference provides an on-campus opportunity for students to present research projects, intellectual scholarship activities, and creative works that is accessible to all disciplines. In 2023, 108 individual projects were presented, including 181 student scholars and artists.
- Our Model United Nations program routinely places at the highest levels in competitions
- Students manage an investment fund of $1 million and gain real-world experience in the stock market. At some schools, students make virtual investments. At Austin College, it’s the real deal
- Product lab incubates entrepreneurial design and allows students to pitch, develop, and send innovative ideas to market
- Jordan Family Language House brings the world to campus with residential learning experiences in three languages
- Students compete in Mock Trial programs with tournaments in the on-campus courtroom and around the nation
Discovery That Opens Doors
- 100% of students participate in our four-week JanTerm, which offers in-depth study and intensive research courses, career exploration, and internships-on campus and around the world
- Adams Observatory hosts a research-grade telescope that is available to students through astronomy classes and advanced research opportunities.
- Area nonprofits have gained over $4.6 million in new funding since 2012 from students’ grant writing success in the SEPA program (Social Entrepreneurship for Poverty Alleviation) program.
A Community of Active Leaders
- TEDxAustinCollege offers leadership and event production experience, presenting ideas worth sharing around the globe
- Students in our Environmental Studies Program have been leading field trips for area elementary schoolers since 2002 at the Sneed Environmental Research Area, hosting 37 schools and 11,600 students through hands-on lessons about prairie restoration. 1,100 Austin College students, faculty, and staff have contributed to the restoration effort. In 2020, the Sneed Prairie Restoration project won a prestigious Texas Environmental Excellence Award in the Education category from TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality).
Community Impact
Austin College has contributed more than $83 million to the Texas economy in the past year, representing both induced and direct spending.- More than 1,100 people in the Texoma workforce are affiliated with Austin College (i.e., alumni, college faculty and staff).
- 9 of every 10 Austin College students volunteer, and each year, our students contribute over 16,000 service hours annually—a 2023 value of $508,800 each year.
Recognition
- Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change The Way You Think About Colleges
- College Raptor: Top 25 Best Southwest Colleges
- Forbes: America’s Top Colleges
- Leading Colleges: 27 Colleges Recognized for Student Outcomes
- Money Magazine: Best Colleges in America 2023
- Niche: #5 of 7 for Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Texas; #42 for Best Colleges for Public Health; #109 for Best Christian Colleges in America
- New York Times: #35 nationally for economic diversity
- Open Doors: Top 40 Baccalaureate Colleges
- The Princeton Review: Best 389 Colleges
- U.S. News & World Report: Top 100 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges; Top 40 in Best Value; Top 50 colleges for Social Mobility
- Wall Street Journal: Top Colleges in Texas
- Washington Monthly: College Rankings America's Best Bang for the Buck Colleges
- Times Higher Education U.S. College Rankings: #261 in 2022