Texas A&M a top 10 public university in ‘America’s Best Colleges For Research’
Washington Monthly places Texas A&M among the nation’s powerhouse research universities at No. 8 among all public universities, and No. 1 in Texas.
Among universities in Texas, A&M is the only institution to be listed among the top 20.
Texas A&M University continues to solidify its reputation as a national leader in research, earning a standout position in the first Washington Monthly “America’s Best Colleges for Research” rankings.
Texas A&M is ranked No. 16 nationally, No. 8 among all public universities, No. 1 in Texas and is the highest-ranked school in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Additionally, the university placed No. 5 in the nation in number of science and engineering PhDs awarded.
Washington Monthly editors examined 139 institutions that “each spend at least $100 million annually on research based on four equally weighted indicators: total research spending, science and engineering PhDs awarded, faculty receiving major national awards and the share of faculty elected to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.”
The rankings are unique in their emphasis on how universities contribute to America’s research enterprise, aligning closely with Texas A&M’s land-, sea- and space-grant missions.
At Texas A&M, opportunities to participate in research projects abound, both at the graduate and undergraduate levels.
The university’s research enterprise, which includes more than $1.4 billion in annual expenditures, is among the largest in the country. Texas A&M is also a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), a designation reserved for institutions with the highest levels of research activity.
Joining Texas A&M in the ranking’s top 20 are some of the nation’s most elite private universities including Stanford, MIT, Harvard, Johns Hopkins and Princeton. Its No. 8 ranking among public universities places it in company with institutions including Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Michigan and UCLA.
Among universities in Texas, A&M is the only institution to be listed among the top 20.
The university’s research spans critical areas such as energy, agriculture, engineering, health sciences and national defense. With more than 4,300 faculty members and over 81,000 students (fall 2025), Texas A&M fosters a vibrant academic environment where inquiry and innovation thrive. Home to more than two dozen research centers and institutes, researchers collaborate with industry, government and academic partners to solve real-world problems.
Texas A&M’s designation as a land-, sea- and space-grant institution enables it to conduct research that spans the globe, from ocean exploration to space technology and rural development. A&M researchers are tackling issues such as disaster resilience, cybersecurity, food security, public health and much more, making a tangible difference in communities across the nation and beyond.
