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UT Austin rises to the top in new list of best Texas schools for 2024

go longhorns

The University of Texas at Austin continues its streak of high rankings for its high-quality educational experiences. The home of the Longhorns earned a coveted top three spot on U.S. News and World Report's just-released list of the Best Colleges in Texas for 2024.

UT Austin claimed No. 2 in Texas, and ranked No. 32 nationally. The public institution had an undergraduate enrollment of more than 41,300 students in fall 2022. The school, which costs $11,698 in tuition for in-state students and fees each year, ranks No. 9 for "Top Public Schools" by U.S. News.

In April, UT's Cockrell School of Engineering ranked No. 7 in U.S. News' ranking of the best graduate schools in the country, while McCombs School of Business earned the No. 20 spot among business schools.

UT Austin actually fared similarly in Niche'slist of top public universities, in which it ranked No. 6 nationally.

U.S. News' profile of UT Austin says the university prides itself on being a top-tier research institution.

"UT Austin has been a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities since 1929," the site says. "The university attracts nearly $800 million annually for research. Top accolades include the creation of the most widely used COVID-19 vaccines and the worlds’ fastest supercomputers for open research."

The university also boasts a rich campus culture that encourages students to participate in different organizations and activities.

"Students can participate in more than 1,000 clubs and organizations or in the sizable UT Greek system," the site says. "The university has several student media outlets, and its sports teams are notorious competitors in the Division I Big 12 Conference. UT also offers hundreds of study abroad programs, with the most popular destinations being Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, France, and China."

Ahead of UT Austin in the ranking is Rice University in Houston. The "Ivy League of the South" ranked No. 1 in Texas and No. 17 nationally.

Just behind UT Austin is College Station's Texas A&M University, which placed No. 3 in the Texas rankings and No. 47 nationally.

U.S. News' top 10 best colleges in Texas in 2024 are:

No. 1 – Rice University, Houston
No. 2 – University of Texas at Austin
No. 3 – Texas A&M University, College Station
No. 4 – Southern Methodist University, Dallas
No. 5 – Baylor University, Waco
No. 6 – Texas Christian University, Fort Worth
No. 7 – The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson
No. 8 – University of Houston
No. 9 – Texas Tech University, Lubbock
No. 10 – University of St. Thomas, Houston

The full rankings can be found on usnews.com.

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Austin neighbor booms as 4th fastest-growing U.S. college town, report says

go bobcats

Austin might be one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S., but there's one Central Texas city that's outdoing the state capital. A new study by university scholarship website BrokeScholar has deemed San Marcos the No. 4 fastest-growing college town in the country.

San Marcos' population in 2000 was 36,120; in 2023 the population has nearly doubled to 70,372. For scale, U.S. News and World Report says Texas State University had an undergraduate enrollment of 33,175 in the fall of 2021.

It's not just a university or its enrollment that attracts newcomers, the study says, but the "cultural oasis" that the college towns maintain.

"These collegiate strongholds benefit from an influx of new residents eager to enjoy a good football game and an existing mix of music, culture, and young energy," the report's author wrote.

San Marcos is a hub for cultural growth, with its community of local artists and countless recreational activities. A popular kayak tour along the San Marcos River won a Texas Travel Award earlier this year for the best outdoor activity.

BrokeScholar estimates the city's population to expand to over 86,000 people by 2030, and nearly 154,000 people by 2050.

Austin surprisingly came in at No. 22 for the fastest-growing college towns, despite hosting four major universities: The University of Texas at Austin, St. Edward's University, Huston-Tillotson University, and Concordia University Texas.

The report further indicates the growth trends are so strong in Central Texas that an educational "mega-region" is surfacing, confirming earlier reports of the area between Austin and San Antonio becoming the next mega-metro that could rival Dallas-Fort Worth in the future.

Also in the top 10 is Denton, north of Dallas-Fort Worth, ranking No. 6 with an overall population of 160,564 residents. College Station earned No. 8 with an overall population of 123,238 in 2023, with an estimate growth of 19 percent to 147,126 residents by 2030.

The top 10 fastest-growing college towns in the U.S. are:

No. 1 – Bozeman, Montana
No. 2 – Oxford, Mississippi
No. 3 – Cedar City, Utah
No. 4 – San Marcos, Texas
No. 5 – Auburn, Alabama
No. 6 – Denton, Texas
No. 7 – Cullowhee, North Carolina
No. 8 – College Station, Texas
No. 9 – Fayetteville, Arkansas
No. 10 – Raleigh, North Carolina

BrokeScholar pulled data from the U.S. Census Bureau between 2000 and 2023 to determine annual growth rates and make population projections for 2030.

The full report and its methodology can be found on brokescholar.com.

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This is how much more Austin residents earn with a graduate degree than a bachelor's

back to school

One of the biggest decisions new college graduates face after earning their bachelor's degree is whether to continue their education with a graduate degree or enter the professional world without one. The Education Data Initiative reports that the average cost of a master's degree is $65,134, so it's important to consider the financial benefits depending on an individual's chosen field of study.

In a metro area like Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, a graduate degree would mean a resident earns $18,919 more than if they only had a bachelor's degree, according to a new study by SmartAsset.

The average annual income of an Austin resident with a bachelor's degree is $65,743, the study says, with graduate degree earners making $84,662 per year.

The average annual pay in Austin for someone with a graduate degree is greater than the national average of $72,000. The study further determined that on a national scale, a graduate degree nets individuals $16,000 more per year — a slightly lesser increase than in Austin.

"Amid the high expenses of education and ever-changing job markets, it’s important to weigh the opportunity costs of a graduate degree with the additional earning potential," the study's author wrote. "A graduate or professional degree nets an extra $484,000 over a career, on average... This assumes a 30 year career in a medium or large metro area."

SmartAsset's study used 2021 U.S. Census Bureau 1-Year ACS S1501 data to determine the income for individuals aged 25 and older with varying professional degrees in 281 of the biggest metropolitan areas.

The Texas city where a graduate degree nets a resident the most amount of money is Midland, with a massive $24,394 difference between graduate degree and bachelor's holders. Average graduate degree pay in the West Texas city is $90,559 versus a bachelor's degree pay of $66,165.

The metro that landed at the top of the national ranks is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California. A bachelor's degree holder makes an average salary of $102,214 in the area, whereas a graduate degree holder increases those earnings more than $48,000, totaling $150,281.

The full report and its methodology can be found on smartasset.com.

Photo courtesy of For The Students

Austin HBCU turns the volume up on music business learning with superstar manager in the lead

Mind Your Music Business

The Austin music scene's DIY charm is one of its biggest strengths, but charm does not a mortgage pay. It can get a "talented" group (whatever that means) most of the way there, but some industry know-how goes a long way in making sure artists aren't taken advantage of.

People are deeply divided on the idea of getting a degree in music — mine the vast records of Frank Zappa's opinion on formal education for some deeply discouraging gems — but a low-cost alternative may soften the blow. If a $500 course can save a student from one $500 mistake, it's already paid for itself right?

The course in question (for that actual price) is a new offering from Austin's Huston-Tillotson University, both for enrolled students and locals who can pop in for the weekly in-person class. The Music Business Foundations Certificate spreads important lessons about the music industry across a six-week program led by "multi-platinum-selling music manager Philip Payne," according to the announcement.

Payne, like most good managers, doesn't get much name recognition, but his clients do. He's worked closely with Canadian rapper Tory Lanez, and his LinkedIn resume in road management and music direction features Drake, Chris Brown, Future, Mac Miller, ASAP Ferg, and G-Eazy.

It would seem that Payne's roles in concert promotion would make this a tour-heavy class, but it only takes up one week on the syllabus. It is not just Payne's experience that informs the class, but standards set by For The Students, a consulting group that develops music business certificates for universities.

“We are thrilled and honored to announce the implementation of the Music Business Foundations Certificate at Huston-Tillotson University," said For The Students founder Ogden Payne in the release. "This marks a significant milestone in our mission to prepare students and adult learners for careers in the music industry. We’re excited to introduce a revolutionary new way of learning about the business side of music with a curriculum we’ve been developing for over a year."

Course topics are as follows:

The Roles Around an Artist: Provides a lineup of team members and assigns roles while setting expectations for compensation.
Marketing to Today’s Consumer: Discusses marketing strategies and teaches methods of market research, identifying a target audience, and differentiating an artist.
Legal Aspects and Basic Deal Structures: Provides groundwork for making decisions using basic legal jargon and points to look out for. This is where acts with otherwise good instincts sometimes go astray without sound guidance.
Music Publishing Basics: Introduces students to successful publishing companies as case studies and demonstrates where money can be made outside of performance and recording.
Concert and Festival Promotion: Breaks down the many needs of live performances and festivals, from logistics to finances. This is especially salient in Austin — a city with a heavy focus on live music above all.

One industry partner does take advantage of this live-event focus: C3 Presents, the Austin-based concert promoter that produces Austin City Limits Music Festival and Lollapalooza. The company will select some of the students who complete the certificate for paid internships.

Critics who speak against higher ed in music have much to work with, from exorbitantly high costs for little return, to an ideological worry that learning too much kills the instinctual joy in music. (Both are super circumstantial.) But one of music academia's biggest pitfalls is a tendency to place deeply Eurocentric values on a pedestal, especially in concert music.

Coming from the historically Black university, this course should avoid some of these common baises.

"The program is based around modern music, executives, and companies," wrote Ogden Payne in an email to CultureMap. "The curriculum and off-site experiences were created to be a direct reflection of the worldly cultures and backgrounds that make up the music industry. Plus, the fact that this is an innovative new program being offered by an iconic HBCU while led by one of Austin’s most successful Black executives, should lend itself to offering students unique and diverse perspectives built around first-hand industry experience.”

There are only 25 seats available for the first Music Business Foundations Certificate. Classes will be held Wednesdays at 6:30 pm from October 25 through December 6. More information and enrollment links are available at htu-musicbusiness.com.

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UT Austin earns No. 6 ranking on new list of best public universities in U.S.

Longhorn pride

The University of Texas at Austin has risen in the ranks in a highly anticipated new list of the country's best universities.

Niche, an education review and ranking website, has deemed UT Austin the sixth best public university in the U.S., up from No. 8 last year. The university receives an A+ grade in five of the 12 ranking categories, including academics, athletics, and student life. It gets an A for the diversity, value, and professors, an A- for the campus, and a C+ for dorms and safety.

UT Austin also ranked highly in other categories, including:

No. 1 of 405 Best Hispanic-Serving Institutions in America.
No. 3 of 931 Best Colleges for Communications in America.
No. 8 of 454 Best Colleges for Sports Management in America.

More individual rankings can be found here.

UT Austin regularly ranks highly on lists of the best colleges and universities in the country, including those published by Niche, Forbes, and U.S. News & World Report.

"The University of Texas at Austin provided a great overall university experience," a student wrote in a Niche review. "Campus life was lively, with tons of student activities and organizations available. My professors included leaders in their fields and genuinely interesting academic leaders."

Topping Niche’s national list is Yale University, followed by Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Princeton University, Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Dartmouth College.

UT Austin comes in at No. 2 on Niche’s list of the best colleges in Texas - but it's the best public university in the state. Here are the top 10 Texas schools:

1. Rice University (Houston)
2. University of Texas at Austin
3. Texas A&M University (College Station)
4. Trinity University (San Antonio)
5. Southern Methodist University (University Park)
6. Texas Christian University (Fort Worth)
7. Texas Tech University (Lubbock)
8. University of Houston
9. University of Texas Permian Basin (Odessa)
10. Baylor University (Waco)

“Choosing where to go to college is easily one of the most significant — and expensive — decisions of a person’s life. Niche’s mission is to ensure that every college-bound student has access to easy, transparent and free resources … to help them find their best fit,” Luke Skurman, founder and CEO of Niche, says in a news release.

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A version of this article originally ran on our sister site InnovationMap.

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R&B singer Mélat epitomizes the independent Austin music experience in new album

local releases

Even though Mélat is always busy — appearing in seemingly every major community showcase — she hasn't released a new album in four years. That is, until today.

Canon Metis: Wiser Than Gods and Mortal Men — with an appropriately grandiose title for the R&B singer's prodigal return — is out on September 29, with 14 gooey tracks incorporating everything from trap beats to gospel harmonies. It follows up 2019's After All: Episode One, with similarly spacious orchestrations and a little more confidence this time around on the songwriter's part.

"I feel like [after] going through COVID and all the things that have happened in the past four years ... it's the dawning of a new era for me," says Mélat. "I feel like I've shed a significant amount of fear, and doubt, and all these things that as humans we have to work to get off of ourselves. It feels like a new beginning for me."

The title of this "foundational" album, in Mélat's words, reaches back to two EPs that the singer has since grown out of, but represented a similar feeling of self-definition as her first-ever releases. First was Canon Aphaea, then Canon Ourania; Both referenced Greek goddesses. This time, Metis — Zeus' first wife, a Titan goddess, and the embodiment of wisdom — was the inspiration.

$M\u00e9lat Canon Metis: Wiser Than Gods and Mortal Men$ The album cover ties in "Easter Eggs" from Black woman-owned brands: fashion by Savage X Fenty, Black Girl Magic wine by McBride Sisters Wine Company, and an Ethiopian necklace referencing the singer's heritage.Shot by Marshall Tidrick

The subtitle comes from humbler origins than it sounds; probably something she read on Wikipedia, Mélat says, but definitely borrowed nonetheless. The quote also gives a name to a track in which the singer speaks semi-candidly about false idols and the wisdom to duck away from the judgment of "mere mortals."

"I'm like a lot of people in that I can be my worst my own worst critic," she says. "I hate my speaking voice, but I put it on the album [because] my gut was telling me, no, this needs to be said. There are songs that were cut from the album [that were part of] the plan the whole time."

Much of Mélat's local pull comes from her transparency about being an independent artist, which she discusses often on social media and will surely expound upon more when the Austin chapter of Women in Music launches later this year, with her on the leadership team. Nothing about working without a label is foreign to Austin musicians (although the landscape is slowly growing), and the singer confirms that she doesn't "know any other way to do it," but hints of that freedom shine through some tracks.

"Canon Metis," the opening track, pieces together a sort of trailer for the rest of the album with atmospheric synths and spoken announcements by disembodied femme voices — a softly futuristic approach. But "Lambs to Lions" and "The Now" deliver nostalgia via backup vocals and instrumental stylings, while "I.D.M.T.L.Y. (Freestyle)" pares things down to a simple phone recording that the songwriter and her close collaborator, sound engineer, and manager, Pha The Phenom, chose not to develop any further.

No through-lines were questioned. Nothing needed to be justified, except to each other. Both have gotten into meditating, anyway, so it's all about feel.

"I feel like I've gathered all this wisdom," Mélat says. "You can't really trust the quote-unquote gods, which are the shiny things that will distract you ... and you can't really worry too much about the judgment of others, because everybody's just human. I need to do what feels right for me."

There is no tour planned to promote the album yet, but given the singer's track record, it won't be long until something is on the books. A music video for "So Help Me God," incorporates AI technology via Kaiber AI, will be released on October 4.

Listen to Canon Metis: Wiser Than Gods and Mortal Men on your favorite streaming platform.

Unique art sale champions thousands of works by Austin artists who may not have homes

art everywhere

The streets of Austin reveal a vibrant artistic spirit if you know where to look. Art From the Streets (AFTS), a nonprofit uplifting unhoused artists, invites art lovers to discover this local creativity at the annual Art Show & Sale on October 21-22.

Photo courtesy of Art From The Streets

Onlookers look through hundreds of unique art pieces by unhoused Austinites.

Art From the Streets has announced its 31st Annual Art Show & Sale at the Blue Genie Art Bazaar, best known for its holiday market. This two-day event will showcase thousands of original artworks from unhoused and at-risk artists in the Austin area, from compelling portraits to vibrant abstracts, all while supporting an amazing creative community.

Attending this event gives the Austin community the special opportunity to meet these artists, hear their stories, and purchase their one-of-a-kind creations, with 95 percent of the art sale proceeds going directly to the artists themselves.

In turn, it provides platform for the artists to proudly display their works, coming into the arts scene in an official, marketable capacity. It brings visibility to their skills and lets them earn income from their passion.

"We believe that these artistic endeavors form a pathway to self-determination, and we invite the Austin community to join us this October in supporting these artists by making connections and purchasing some amazing art," said AFTS executive director Kelley Worden in a press release.

Volunteers form the backbone of AFTS by assisting with a wide range of tasks, from facilitating art creation sessions to helping with exhibition setup and more; the funds that AFTS collects through donations and art sales are directly funneled back into supporting these volunteers' efforts, providing art supplies, covering exhibition costs, and supplying other resources needed to uplift the unhoused artists in the Austin community.

The 31st Annual Art From the Streets Show & Sale will be held at the Blue Genie Art Bazaar from October 21-22. Attendance is free and open to the public, with a suggested $5 donation at the door to help support AFTS' mission of empowering unhoused artists. RSVP on Eventbrite.

Tasteful Austin ice cream shop starts crowdfunding to scoop up new cities

Tastes Like Profit

We're not sure how many licks it takes to get to a popular Austin ice cream shop into new markets, but a crowdfunding campaign gives fans a chance to find out.

Lick Honest Ice Creams, known for interesting, mature flavors (without getting too serious), has launched a campaign via MicroVentures that will allow onlookers a chance to support the business with small investments of $100 or more. Ice cream never goes out of style, and the company is hoping to appeal not just to repeat customers, but anyone who thinks the sweet treat has growth potential.

Although this could be a long-term holding, the root idea is to eventually trade back the stake for a financial gain once the company has grown. In less than two days (since the campaign launched on September 28), Lick has already sold stakes worth more than $66,000 from 90 investors.

“This isn’t just an investment in terms of capital," said CEO Anthony Sobotik in a news release. "It’s an opportunity to own a piece of your favorite ice cream shop, shared memories, and a piece of Lick’s future. By investing, you’re supporting our dream and commitment to spread the Lick experience further, enabling Lick to support family-owned farms in a more significant way, and ensuring more people can truly know what they’re licking."

The ice cream shop has been in Austin since its inception in 2012, and now operates three stores in the area, plus stores in San Antonio, Houston, and College Station. The total store count is currently at eight, with a ninth coming to Houston's Autry Park "soon," according to the website. The release states intentions to use the crowdfunding to "build more scoop shops and expand into new markets," but does not specify which cities the brand is eyeing, or even if they are in Texas or farther away.

Some of the flavors pay homage to their Texas roots, like "Caramel Salt Lick," "Hill Country Honey & Vanilla Bean," and "Texas Sheet Cake." It is easy to see where ingredients come from, as suppliers are listed on the menu. Seasonal flavors right now include creative twists like "Back Porch Iced Tea" and "Fig & Fromage," sticking to Lick's script of interesting and local ingredients. The menu also includes a small number of dairy-free flavors.

“From our first scoop shop opening in 2011 to where Lick is now, it’s been an extraordinary journey. We’ve now served over a million scoops, and with each one, we’ve shared our commitment to and love for thoughtfully crafted, ethically, and sustainably-sourced and produced ice cream,” said Sobotik.

“But beyond just charming your taste buds, our flavors tell stories," he continued. "Those are the stories of favorite dishes, the family and friends we shared them with, and the farmers we work with. It’s a special connection that ice cream grants us, and it’s what really makes this our story, not just Lick’s story.”

More information and links to contribute to the campaign are available at microventures.com.

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Austin 'Top Chef' winner emerges after controversy to open upscale Mexican restaurant, plus more top stories

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