Key Takeaways
- UH ranks No. 42 among public universities in The Princeton Review’s “Best Value Colleges” for 2025, highlighting its strong academics, affordability and career prospects for graduates.
- UH is one of just 209 institutions — about 7% of the nation’s four-year colleges — to make the list.
- UH continues to receive national honors for its return on investment, including the rare dual designation of R1 “Very High Research Activity” and “Opportunity College & University” from the Carnegie Classifications, and a top 40 ranking in social mobility from U.S. News & World Report.
The University of Houston has once again been recognized as one of the nation’s best colleges for value, ranking No. 42 among public universities in The Princeton Review’s list of “Best Value Colleges.” The honor highlights UH’s strong academics, affordable cost and outstanding career outcomes for graduates — key factors that matter most to students and families when choosing a university.
“A degree from the University of Houston is truly an asset for our students. It demonstrates knowledge, expertise and commitment — all valuable qualities.”
— Diane Z. Chase, UH senior vice president for academic affairs and provost
Academic Strength, Affordability and Career Readiness
“A degree from the University of Houston is truly an asset for our students. It demonstrates knowledge, expertise and commitment — all valuable qualities,” said Diane Z. Chase, UH senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “This latest ranking from The Princeton Review highlights the long-term benefits of earning a UH degree and recognizes the University’s ongoing efforts to ensure our students thrive both personally and professionally long after graduation.”
UH offers more than 100 undergraduate programs, including the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship — the country’s No. 1 ranked undergraduate entrepreneurship program, and is home to multiple high-ranking graduate programs. Students benefit from quality instruction, deep community and industry partnerships and premium access to a strong regional job market.
UH is one of just 209 public and private universities — about 7% of the nation’s four-year undergraduate institutions — to earn a spot on the “Best Value Colleges” list for 2025. The rankings are based on more than 40 data points including academics, cost and financial aid, graduation rates, student debt and alumni career outcomes.
“We congratulate the University of Houston along with all of the other exceptional institutions that made our ‘Best Value Colleges for 2025’ list,” said Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review. “They offer outstanding academics and excellent career services, and they demonstrate extraordinary commitments to affordability via generous financial aid and/or comparatively low sticker prices. For all of those reasons — and more — we recommend them highly to college applicants.”
Students Say UH Delivers Long-Term Value
Students cited both academic strength and long-term value as reasons for choosing UH.
“It’s not very expensive for the quality of education you’re getting — you feel like your degree is appreciating in value over time,” one student told The Princeton Review.
Another added, “UH encourages students to participate in outreach projects, internships, industry partnerships and alumni leadership. And being in the middle of one of the largest and busiest cities in the country, the job opportunities are endless.”
UH Earns Multiple National Honors for ROI
As a leading public university in Texas, UH’s return on investment continues to earn national recognition. In May, UH became one of only 21 institutions in the country to earn both the “Very High Research Activity” (R1) and “Opportunity College & University – Higher Access, Higher Earnings” designations in the 2025 Carnegie Classifications. This dual recognition places UH in a select group of universities advancing both research excellence and socioeconomic mobility. In addition, U.S. News & World Report ranks UH No. 36 in the nation for social mobility.