UCO Honored for Affordability and Quality on Research.com Rankings
Dec. 10, 2025
The University of Central Oklahoma was named a top institution in the state, region and nationally in Research.com’s Best Colleges 2026 list.
UCO was ranked No. 243 on the Best Colleges list—putting Central in the top 15% of colleges and universities nationwide. Additionally, UCO was No. 131 on the Best Value Colleges list and No. 146 in the Most Affordable Colleges list. On the Best Public Colleges list, UCO was listed at No. 193.
Regionally, Central was ranked in the top 100 colleges in the South on all the same lists.
In Oklahoma, UCO was ranked No. 2 in the Best Colleges in Oklahoma and Most Affordable Colleges in Oklahoma lists.
Research.com’s 2026 rankings evaluated more than 1,600 institutions nationwide. The rankings are compiled using trustworthy, publicly available data sources, including IPEDS and the College Scorecard. The data is analyzed and scored in four key areas, including research, teaching, faculty, and campus life, to create rankings that identify universities providing the strongest overall value for students.
Guided by the motto “ubi motus est,” which translates to “where movement is,” Central continues to evolve and grow, offering 123 undergraduate and 82 graduate programs to more than 12,000 students from its main campus in Edmond, Oklahoma, and facilities throughout the Oklahoma City metro.
UCO is accepting applications for admission for the 2026-27 academic year. Incoming freshmen and transfer students will be automatically awarded academic scholarships, pending eligibility, upon submission of a completed online application and all required admissions documents by Feb. 1, 2026. Students can apply online at apply.uco.edu.
The full rankings are available on Research.com
For more information about Central, visit www.uco.edu.
