The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has been recognized by U.S. News and World Report for its undergraduate computer science and nursing programs, placing them among the best in the country according to the publication’s December Best College guide.
UTEP was also named as one of the Top 100 colleges for social mobility among national universities. The social mobility ranking evaluates how well a university serves Pell Grant recipients—students from families with significant financial need—and considers their graduation rates compared to those at other institutions.
“We are incredibly proud that U.S. News & World Report has recognized UTEP’s our computer science program as among the best in the nation,” said Kenith Meissner, Ph.D., dean of the UTEP College of Engineering. “This recognition reflects the exceptional dedication of our faculty and staff, creativity and drive of our students, and the strong partnerships that support our mission. At UTEP, we deliver a rigorous, hands-on education that gives our students the skills to lead, innovate and thrive in today’s dynamic workplace.”
The Department of Computer Science at UTEP offers both a Bachelor’s degree and a Minor in Computer Science with specializations such as secure cyber systems, software engineering, and data analytics. The department recently added a Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence. Students have achieved internships and jobs at companies like Google and Microsoft. A recent team placed eighth at a national cybersecurity competition, outperforming over 50 schools including The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M.
Nursing is another highly enrolled program at UTEP; enrollment increased by more than 12% recently. “This ranking is a testament to our excellent nursing program. At UTEP, we prepare compassionate, culturally competent nurses who are ready to meet the complex health care needs of our communities,” said Leslie Robbins, Ph.D., dean of the College of Nursing. “Our faculty and staff have an unwavering commitment to nursing education and we have strong support from our clinical partners.”
UTEP’s NCLEX-RN pass rate consistently exceeds the national average pass rate for this licensing exam taken by new nurses after graduation. Nursing students receive practical training through work with both actors simulating patients and advanced simulation manikins powered by artificial intelligence.
The rankings by U.S. News are based on surveys conducted among academics and peers within each field.
“We typically don’t look at the main U.S. News rankings because they are heavily weighted based how exclusive a university is. We would rather be judged on who we include, not who we exclude,” said Lucas Roebuck, UTEP’s vice president for marketing and communications. “That being said, these specific program rankings do not penalize UTEP for providing access to excellence, so we appreciate the shout out from U.S. News for our excellent nursing and computer science programs.”
