By Letty Fernandez

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education magazine has ranked UTRGV third in the nation for awarding bachelor’s degrees to Hispanic students.

UTRGV also ranked fourth in total enrollment among four-year institutions around the country.

The rankings are based on federal data from the 2018-19 academic year.

UTRGV President Guy Bailey said UTRGV is proud to be recognized for this national ranking.

“This further reinforces our mission to provide a quality and accessible education to our community here in the Rio Grande Valley,” he said.

In its October issue, the magazine released its “Top 100 Colleges and Universities for Hispanics” for 2020, ranking the top schools in the country for enrolling and awarding degrees to Hispanic students.

UTRGV also ranked high on the magazine’s list in the following categories:

• First in awarding degrees in English Language and Literature Letters.
• Second in awarding law enforcement degrees.
• Third in awarding Recreation Leisure & Fitness Studies degrees.
• Fourth in awarding master’s degrees.
• Seventh in awarding engineering degrees.
• Seventh in awarding Visual and Performing Arts degrees.

Every year, Hispanic Outlook features the top 100 lists based on statistics compiled from the U.S. Department of Education’s database of completed higher education surveys from all 50 states.

The latest rankings come on the heels of a record-breaking fall enrollment for UTRGV, which is now one of only nine public universities in Texas to surpass the 30,000-enrollment mark. Fall enrollment is at 32,618, an increase of 3,505 students – or 11.5 percent – from the previous fall semester. UTRGV also enrolled more than 5,000 incoming freshmen and graduate students.

To view the full list of rankings from Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, visit
  https://www.hispanicoutlook.com/education-magazine/october-2020-issue