The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a very young college – it was created in 2013 and welcomed its first class in fall 2015. UTRGV offers more than 100 programs at various levels, including bachelor's degrees in subjects like addiction studies and marine biology for nearly 25,000 undergraduates. Faculty at UTRGV are dedicated to student success, creativity, research and innovation. As a result, students enjoy a wealth of opportunities; one 2019 class conducted a study analyzing the disaster preparedness of disabled Texans (and then presented the results to local emergency management officials ahead of hurricane season). UTRGV is also home to the Smart Hospital, a 15,000-square-foot simulation center complete with an ICU, emergency room and birthing room. Students here get some serious bang for their buck: UTRGV is ranked #4 for affordability on this year’s Best Colleges list, with an average annual cost of attendance just over $4,500 for students receiving financial aid. Outside of the classroom, students can show off their school spirit by joining the co-ed cheer, dance and mascot teams. UTRGV has more than a dozen sports teams and holds its homecoming festivities in February. The school recently unveiled the look of its mascot, the Vaquero, whose outfit was designed and chosen by students.