Texas

===Higher education===
{{further|List of colleges and universities in Texas}}
[[File:University of Texas at Austin August 2019 30 (Littlefield Fountain and Main Building).jpg|thumb|The [[University of Texas at Austin]]]]
[[File:Roy Gustav Cullen Building.JPG|thumb|[[University of Houston]]]]
[[File:TAMUcampus.jpg|thumb|[[Texas A&M University]]]] [[File:Lovett Hall.jpg|thumb|[[Rice University]]]]

The state's two most widely recognized flagship universities are [[The University of Texas at Austin]] and [[Texas A&M University]], ranked as the 21st<ref>"[http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-texas-austin-3658 University of Texas—Austin] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140908040718/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-texas-austin-3658 |date=September 8, 2014 }}". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved November 17, 2013.</ref> and 41st<ref>"[http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/texas-am-university-college-station-10366 Texas A&M University—College Station] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140908040651/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/texas-am-university-college-station-10366 |date=September 8, 2014 }}". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved November 17, 2013.</ref> best universities in the nation according to 2020's latest Center for World University Rankings report, respectively. Some observers<ref name="Tier One 1">{{cite web |url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7386162.html |title=UH takes big step up to Tier One status |website=Houston Chronicle |date=January 18, 2011 |access-date=July 6, 2011}}</ref> also include the [[University of Houston]] and [[Texas Tech University]] as tier one flagships alongside UT Austin and A&M.<ref name="Tier One 3">{{cite web |url=http://www.uh.edu/news-events/stories/2011articles/Jan2011/011811CarnegieTierOne.php |title=Carnegie Foundation Gives University of Houston its Highest Classification for Research Success, Elevating UH to Tier One Status |author=Bonnin, Richard |publisher=University of Houston |access-date=February 8, 2011}}</ref><ref name="Tier One 4">"[http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2012/mar/26/hance-chief-of-growth-fundraising-for-tech/ Texas Tech University has quietly emerged as top-tier institution] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209205948/http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2012/mar/26/hance-chief-of-growth-fundraising-for-tech/ |date=February 9, 2014 }}". San Angelo Standard-Times. Retrieved November 17, 2013.</ref> The [[Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board]] ranks the state's public universities into three distinct tiers:<ref name="UT System Tier One">"[http://www.utsystem.edu/tierone/tierone.htm Tier One/Prop. 4] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130916002505/http://www.utsystem.edu/tierone/tierone.htm |date=September 16, 2013 }}". The University of Texas System. Retrieved November 17, 2013.</ref>
* National Research Universities (Tier 1)<ref>"[http://www.texastribune.org/2012/05/25/tech-and-uh-qualify-tier-one-prize-money/ Tech and U. of Houston Qualify for Tier-One Prize Money]". Texas Tribune. Retrieved November 17, 2013.</ref><ref>"[https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/utep/2019/01/09/utep-tier-1-research-university-diana-natalicio/2517085002/ UTEP hits major milestone with top-tier research funding status]". ''El Paso Times''. Retrieved January 9, 2019.</ref>
**[[The University of Texas at Austin]]
**[[Texas A&M University]]
**[[Texas Tech University]]
**[[University of Houston]]
**[[The University of Texas at Arlington]]
**[[The University of Texas at Dallas]]
**[[The University of North Texas]]
**[[The University of Texas at El Paso]]
* Emerging Research Universities (Tier 2)<ref name="UT System Tier One" />
**[[The University of Texas at San Antonio]]
**[[Texas State University]]
* Comprehensive Universities (Tier 3)<ref name="UT System Tier One" />
** All other public universities (25 in total)

Texas's alternative affirmative action plan, [[Texas House Bill 588]], guarantees Texas students who graduated in the {{nowrap|top 10}} percent of their high school class automatic admission to state-funded universities. This does not apply to [[The University of Texas at Austin]], which automatically admits Texas students who graduated in the {{Nowrap|top 6}} percent of their high school class.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 21, 2021 |title=Automatic Admissions Threshold Remains at 6% for UT Austin |url=https://news.utexas.edu/2021/09/21/automatic-admissions-threshold-remains-at-6-for-ut-austin/ |access-date=May 13, 2022 |website=UT News |language=en-US}}</ref> The bill encourages demographic diversity while attempting to avoid problems stemming from the ''[[Hopwood v. Texas]]'' (1996) case.<ref>{{cite web|date=July 8, 2019|title=Texas top ten percent policy provides a cautionary lesson|url=https://hechingerreport.org/texas-top-10-policy-didnt-expand-number-of-high-schools-feeding-students-to-top-universities/|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=The Hechinger Report|language=en-US}}</ref>

Thirty-six public universities exist in Texas, of which 32 belong to one of the six state university systems.<ref name="UniSystems">{{cite news |last=Heath |first=Ben |newspaper=Daily Texan |date=July 7, 2003 |url=http://www.utsystem.edu/news/clips/dailyclips/2003/0706-0712/UTSystem-DT-BillRequires-070703.pdf |access-date=October 12, 2007 |title=Bill requires review of university systems |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205011655/http://www.utsystem.edu/news/clips/dailyclips/2003/0706-0712/UTSystem-DT-BillRequires-070703.pdf |archive-date=February 5, 2009}}</ref><ref name="unisystems2">{{cite web |title=Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education Testimony Regarding the Benefits of a Stand Alone Institution |publisher=Sam Houston State University |date=June 25, 2008 |url=http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/commit/c535/20080625/062508_SFA_Testimony_Dr_Pattillo.pdf |access-date=October 12, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028193024/http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/commit/c535/20080625/062508_SFA_Testimony_Dr_Pattillo.pdf |archive-date=October 28, 2008 }}</ref> Discovery of minerals on [[Permanent University Fund]] land, particularly oil, has helped fund the rapid growth of the state's two largest university systems: the [[University of Texas System]] and the [[Texas A&M University System|Texas A&M System]]. The four other university systems: the [[University of Houston System]], the [[University of North Texas System]], the [[Texas State University System|Texas State System]], and the [[Texas Tech University System|Texas Tech System]] are not funded by the Permanent University Fund.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|title= Permanent University Fund|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/permanent-university-fund|access-date=December 28, 2020|publisher=TSHA |work=Handbook of Texas |first1=Vivian Elizabeth |last1=Smyrl |orig-date=1976 |date=June 9, 2020 }}</ref>

The Carnegie Foundation classifies four of Texas's universities as Tier One research institutions: [[University of Texas at Austin|The University of Texas at Austin]], the [[Texas A&M University]], the [[University of Houston]] and [[Texas Tech University]]. The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University are the flagship universities of the [[University of Texas System]] and [[Texas A&M University System]], respectively. Both were established by the Texas Constitution and hold stakes in the Permanent University Fund.<ref name=":8" />

The state has sought to expand the number of flagship universities by elevating some of its seven institutions designated as "emerging research universities". The two expected to emerge first are the University of Houston and Texas Tech University, likely in that order according to discussions on the House floor of the 82nd Texas Legislature.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tier-One Prize Money Tentatively Passes House |date=April 14, 2011 |access-date=April 27, 2011 |url=http://www.texastribune.org/texas-education/higher-education/tier-one-prize-money-tentatively-passes-house-/}}</ref>

The state is home to various private institutions of higher learning—ranging from liberal arts colleges to a nationally recognized top-tier research university. {{nowrap|[[Rice University]]}} in Houston is one of the leading teaching and research universities of the United States and is ranked the nation's 17th-best overall university by ''U.S. News & World Report''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rice University, Best Colleges 2009 |website=[[U.S. News & World Report]]|access-date=March 27, 2009 |url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/items/3604 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216191034/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/items/3604 |archive-date=February 16, 2009 }}</ref>

[[Trinity University (Texas)|Trinity University]], a private, primarily undergraduate liberal arts university in San Antonio, has ranked first among universities granting primarily bachelor's and select master's degrees in the Western United States for 20 consecutive years by ''U.S. News''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Trinity University |website=Best Colleges 2011—U.S. News & World Report |access-date=January 6, 2012 |url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/regional-universities-west |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119182030/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/regional-universities-west |archive-date=January 19, 2012 }}</ref> Private universities include [[Abilene Christian University]], {{nowrap|[[Austin College]]}}, {{nowrap|[[Baylor University]]}}, {{nowrap|[[University of Mary Hardin–Baylor]]}}, and {{nowrap|[[Southwestern University]]}}.<ref name="privateuni">{{cite web |title=About Baylor |publisher=Baylor University |access-date=May 21, 2008 |url=http://www.baylor.edu/about/}}</ref><ref name="southwestern">{{cite web |title=Southwestern History |publisher=Southwestern University |access-date=October 12, 2008 |url=http://www.southwestern.edu/about/about-history.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024123018/http://www.southwestern.edu/about/about-history.html |archive-date=October 24, 2007}}</ref><ref name="austincollege">{{cite web |title=History |date=November 2009 |publisher=Austin College |access-date=June 9, 2015 |url=http://www.austincollege.edu/about/history/}}</ref>

Universities in Texas host three presidential libraries: [[George Bush Presidential Library]] at Texas A&M University,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Archives and Research – George Bush Library and Museum|url=https://bush41library.tamu.edu/|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=bush41library.tamu.edu}}</ref> the [[Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum]] at The University of Texas at Austin,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Plan Your Visit to the LBJ Library – LBJ Presidential Library|url=http://www.lbjlibrary.org/footer/plan-your-visit|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=lbjlibrary.org|archive-date=November 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125080437/http://www.lbjlibrary.org/footer/plan-your-visit/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title= Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/lyndon-baines-johnson-library-and-museum|access-date=December 28, 2020|publisher=TSHA |work=Handbook of Texas |date=1976 }}</ref> and the [[George W. Bush Presidential Library]] at [[Southern Methodist University]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=The George W. Bush Presidential Center and SMU – SMU|url=https://www.smu.edu/bushcenter|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=smu.edu}}</ref>