The University of Houston-Downtown continues to rise in the rankings. From the most diverse university in the region to Houston’s most affordable institution, UHD is recognized not only by higher education experts but by the growing number of students who are making it their university of choice.

Now, the University can add another accolade to its growing list … one of the state’s top universities offering degree programs that are both accessible and affordable.

Higher education guide University Headquarters recently ranked institutions from around the nation based on quality and affordability. UHD emerged as No. 2 in Texas in the publication’s assessment of “Most Affordable Four-Year Colleges and Universities.”

“At UHD, quality and affordability are a core part of our commitment to social justice and enhance economic mobility for all Houstonians,” said Interim Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and Provost, Dr. Akif Uzman. “Our faculty are committed to delivering an exciting and rich curriculum that prepares each of our students for the challenges of our dynamic, global economy, be it a professional career or graduate school. Everyone at UHD works to ensure tuition and the total cost of higher education remain affordable, so the institution serves as a destination university for all Houstonians seeking higher education.”

In its evaluation of UHD and other universities, University Headquarters reviewed a number of factors including retention, admissions, tuition, and four- and six-year graduation rates. Additionally, it took into consideration data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Payscale.com.

In addition to spotlighting UHD’s top academic programs and its rising retention and graduation rates, University Headquarters lauded the institution’s resources aimed at helping students find jobs.

“The University of Houston–Downtown has a number of helpful career and job search resources available for students, including the Jobs4Gabors career services management system,” University Headquarters reports. “The school also provides pre-job search prep and job search checklists. Periodically, the Main Career Center hosts career fairs to allow students and employers to meet in person.”

Complementing the Main Career Center is the Marilyn Davies College of Business Career Center, which offers in-person and virtual sessions with career coaches, career fairs, and GatorHired, a portal specifically for students and alumni to find their next careers and for local businesses to post positions.

In addition to ranking UHD as No. 2 in the state for affordability and quality, University Headquarters also recognized specific programs in their respective categories: Accounting (No. 11), Computer Science (No. 13), Criminal Justice (No. 19), Business Management (No. 19) and Business Administration (No. 29).

These rankings complement others earned by the University in 2021, including a No. 1 ranking for diversity in the region by Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education.