more university rankings

Trinity University shines as 3rd best Texas college for 2026

Trinity University claimed the No. 3 spot in WalletHub's Texas-wide ranking of the best universities for another year in a row.

Trinity University/Facebook

San Antonio's Trinity University is officially one of the state's elite, earning the No. 3 spot among all Texas schools in WalletHub's 2026 Best Colleges report. The private institution also ranked as the 13th best university in the South and the No. 62 best university in the country, a three-spot jump from its 2024 ranking.

The experts at the personal finance website analyzed nearly 800 colleges and universities in the U.S. using 30 key metrics, including factors like student-faculty ratios, graduation rates, campus safety, and many more.

Topping the statewide list is Houston's Rice University, which also ranked No. 9 in the national comparison. The University of Texas at Austin sandwiched itself between the two private universities as the No. 2 best Texas college, and the 58th best college in the U.S.

Trinity was ranked across seven major categories in the report, and scored highly for its faculty resources (No. 41) and student selectivity (No. 82).

Here's how Trinity ranked among the remaining five categories:

No. 124 – Educational outcomes
No. 125 – Career outcomes
No. 132 – Campus experience
No. 571 – Cost and financing
No. 654 – Campus safety

U.S. News & World Report says tuition and fees at Trinity University can add up to more than $56,000 per year for in-state students, with the total cost soaring to nearly $71,000 when factoring in the price for housing, food, books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses. That likely explains why the university didn't perform as well in the financial category.

In addition to topping WalletHub's rankings, Trinity also appeared in Forbes' annual list of America's Top Colleges.

Other San Antonio-area universities that landed on WalletHub's regional list of the best colleges in the South include Texas Lutheran University in Seguin (No. 152), St. Mary's University (No. 159), University of the Incarnate Word (No. 166), Texas State University in San Marcos (No. 173), and The University of Texas at San Antonio (No. 198).

The 10 best colleges and universities in Texas for 2026 are:

No. 1 – Rice University, Houston
No. 2 – The University of Texas at Austin
No. 3 – Trinity University, San Antonio
No. 4 – Texas A&M University-College Station
No. 5 – Texas Christian University, Fort Worth
No. 6 – Austin College, Sherman
No. 7 – Southwestern University, Georgetown
No. 8 – University of Dallas
No. 9 – The University of Texas at Dallas
No. 10 – University of Houston

lists san antonio trinity university rankings wallethub universities

DON'T MESS WITH SAN ANTONIO CATS

Blow dart attack on San Antonio cat triggers nationwide manhunt

Photo by Jude Mack/Unsplash

Smokey (not pictured here) is expected to make a full recovery.

After Smokey the Cat was shot with a blow dart, forces in San Antonio quickly swung into action. Now the search for the culprit has gone nationwide.

It's a bit like something out of the Netflix docuseries Don't F**k with Cats. The attack quickly became major news in Central Texas before going viral on social media. Now, Maryland-based cat advocacy group Alley Cat Allies says it is offering a $10,000 reward for the capture, prosecution, and conviction of Smokey's attacker.

Smokey's owners say their tabby was shot in the spine with a blow dart in the 7000 block of Spring Terrace, in the Oxbow neighborhood. Though the family did have some surveillance cameras on their property, they could not readily identify the perpetrator. The owner had previously found similar darts with distinctive orange tips around their yard, indicating that the attacker may have been trying to hunt the cat for some time.

"It's clear that the cruelty carried out against Smokey isn't an isolated incident, and more cats will be harmed if the perpetrator is not caught," says Coryn Julien, program communications officer at Alley Cat Allies, in a release. "If anyone has knowledge that will help us seek justice for Smokey and protect the other cats at risk, we ask that you please come forward."

Alley Cat Allies entering the case could be a big help. According to the group, they previously offered a similar reward in the case of a man caught on film strangling a kitten to death in San Antonio. After announcing the reward, the suspect turned himself in to the police.

The San Antonio Police Department has asked anyone with information to call the Property Crimes Task Force at 210-207-8326. Details for claiming the reward can be found here.

As for Smokey, she's doing just fine and is expected to make a full recovery.

cats pets police animal cruelty crime