Texas A&M University Named No. 2 Most Recognized Public University In US
Ranks No. 8 among all U.S. universities and No. 13 worldwide in American Caldwell’s Global University Visibility Rankings
Texas A&M University has surged to the No. 2 spot for most visible public universities and No. 8 among all U.S. institutions, according to American Caldwell’s 2025–2026 Global University Visibility (GUV) Rankings. This marks a dramatic climb from sixth place last year among U.S. public universities, leapfrogging UCLA, Arizona State, Michigan, and UC Berkeley this year. Texas A&M also jumped from No. 21 to No. 13 worldwide, the largest leap among the Top 15.
Texas A&M University remains the most visible university in Texas, as well as the SEC, and now stands firmly among the world’s most talked about, searched and followed institutions of higher learning.
The GUV Rankings evaluate the brand strength and prominence of 1,000 universities worldwide over a 12-month period, offering an independent, data-driven measure of how effectively universities communicate their story to the world. The methodology draws on dozens of publicly available data points including news coverage, social media engagement, search engine activity, YouTube viewership and website traffic to assess true public-facing visibility. Notably, the GUV Rankings rely exclusively on third-party data, not university self-reporting, ensuring transparency, consistency and accountability in determining the world’s most visible and resonant university brands.
Texas A&M’s 2024–2025 visibility highlights include:
- 70+ million YouTube views, a 21,000% increase year-over-year, with 89% of views from outside Texas;
- 2.3 million+ followers across official Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn channels;
- 8.8 million visits to tamu.edu;
- 53,000+ news mentions, an 80% increase from last year;
- 500,000 monthly web searches, showing rising national interest and attention.
“This recognition affirms what we know to be true: Texas A&M is an extraordinary institution with a story the world is ready to hear,” said R. Ethan Braden, vice president and chief marketing and communications officer. “Texas A&M is rising fast in the minds of the public — and for good reason. Driven and distinguished, Aggies are engineering a brighter, safer future with uncommon resolve. Through emotive storytelling and strategic visibility, we’re helping the world see Texas A&M for what it truly is: a force for good, a brand on the rise and a university delivering at scale with unmatched capacity, character and conviction. Texas A&M isn’t just a great university — it’s a marketer’s dream.”
This rise in visibility reflects investments in brand storytelling, digital engagement and strategic partnerships including Dude Perfect, SXSW, Fast Company, the Associated Press and activations in NASCAR and IndyCar, designed to amplify Texas A&M’s research, values, impact and national relevance.
The top of the 2025–2026 GUV Rankings is again led by Harvard, MIT and Stanford. Among institutions outside of the United States, only Oxford, Cambridge, King Saud University and the University of British Columbia rank higher than Texas A&M.
The announcement comes as Texas A&M continues to build momentum on the world stage. The university was recently honored by Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Awards for its nasal spray therapy targeting Alzheimer’s disease, a project selected among the world’s top 100 innovations addressing society’s most urgent challenges. Earlier this year, Fast Company also named Texas A&M one of its World’s Most Innovative Companies, the only university on the list.
