STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Tarleton State University was lauded for its access and student outcomes in the 2025 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
The new Carnegie Classifications are designed to make the designations more useful, relevant and reflective of the nation’s ever-evolving higher education landscape. They are published every three years.
“Having access to a quality, affordable education can change the trajectory of a student’s life,” said Tarleton State President Dr. James Hurley. “With every graduate that walks across the stage at commencement, we are helping to meet critical workforce needs. Their success is our fundamental purpose, and our new Carnegie designations illustrate that.”
According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Almanac, Tarleton State leads all four-year institutions in Texas with 84.8% of graduates employed or enrolled in a master’s program. Continuing a trend of impressive growth, Tarleton’s fall 2024 enrollment reached a record of nearly 18,000 students from 228 Texas counties, 48 states and 40 countries.
Tarleton State’s institutional classification for 2025 is “Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master’s Large/Medium” and its student access and earning classification is “Higher Access, Medium Earnings.” To view the full 2025 Carnegie Classifications, visit https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/.
Just 3% of U.S. colleges and universities hold the same institutional classification as Tarleton State.
Earlier this year, Tarleton State’s research activity designation was once again distinguished as Carnegie R2. The official name of the designation was updated to “Research 2: High Research Spending and Doctorate Production.” There are only 139 institutions nationally with this classification. The university’s investment in research has nearly doubled over the last five years.
All Carnegie Classifications rely on publicly accessible data to classify institutions. Some of the sources include the IPEDS 12-month Enrollment Survey, IPEDS Student Financial Aid Survey and earnings data from the College Scorecard.
A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State University is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of approximately 18,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. For 125 years, Tarleton State has been committed to accessible higher education opportunities for all while helping students grow academically, socially and professionally through programs that emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.