Tarleton State University named one of America’s ‘Best Colleges’ by Money Magazine.

Photo/TSU Media Relations

TSU Media Relations

Special to Beneath the Surface News

For the fourth straight year, Tarleton State University has been named to Money magazine’s “Best Colleges in America” list.

Money’s annual Best Colleges list showcases the country’s top values and is based on graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid and alumni salaries.

“At Tarleton State, we are transforming lives. We are proud to offer an affordable, first-class education to help students reach their potential,” said Tarleton State President Dr. James Hurley.

“This recognition is a credit to the incredible faculty and staff who work diligently to deliver a remarkable student experience for our Texans.”

From an initial list of more than 2,400 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges in the United States, just 732 schools met the requirements to be included.

In the 2025 star ratings, Tarleton State was elevated to 3.5 stars, up from 3 stars a year ago, lifting Tarleton State to the same star rating as Texas Tech University, Texas State University and UTEP around the state of Texas.

Tarleton State is one of the fastest-growing universities nationally and No. 1 in Texas.

The student body features over 230 Texas counties, 48 states and 40 countries.

According to an independent study by the global research firm Lightcast, Tarleton generated an estimated $2.9 billion in total economic impact to Texas in FY 2022-23.