Institutions

Sul Ross State University

Called "possibly the most underrated little university west of the Mississippi" by CBS's Dan Rather, Sul Ross State University in West Texas boasts a combination of small class sizes, an appreciation of both fine arts and the sciences and popular professional programs in a relaxed, friendly environment.

The university's name honors Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross, the son of a pioneer Waco, Texas, family and a popular Texas Ranger, Civil War general, Governor of Texas and later President of Texas A&M University. Founded in 1917 as a teacher college, Sul Ross continues to offer teacher education as one of its most popular programs. Others in high demand are business, criminal justice and agricultural and natural resource sciences.

Early in its history, Sul Ross became the cultural and educational center for the mountainous, remote Big Bend region. SRSU has served the higher educational needs of the Big Bend Region and beyond since 1920. SRSU is the primary institution of higher education serving a 19-county area in West Texas and serving two-thirds of the Texas border with Mexico; i.e., it is the only public university between San Antonio and El Paso.

classroom

The birthplace of intercollegiate rodeo, Sul Ross has won nine National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association men’s and women’s championships and 24 individual titles over the decades of competition. Sul Ross offers a combination of small class sizes, an appreciation of the fine arts, the sciences and popular professional programs in a relaxed, friendly environment. The university’s commitment to diversity has gained national recognition, including a high ranking in the production of future Latino graduates in science and engineering.

Fast Facts
Location:	Alpine, Texas
City Population:	Approximately 6,000
Campus:	647 acres
History:	Founded in 1917
Enrollment:	1,930
Faculty:	119
Student-to-Faculty Ratio:	16:1
Academic Opportunities:	41 bachelor’s degrees, 27 master’s degrees, three associate’s degrees and three certificate programs

Since 1995, SRSU has merited “Publisher’s Pick” status by The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education and ranked as one the top 100 institutions in the country for Hispanic students. SRSU has one of the highest production rates in the country for the Hispanic students earning their doctorates in Geology, Science and Engineering.

New construction and major renovations, including a 640-bed student housing complex, total nearly $80 million in the past 10 years. Other recent additions include a university center, multipurpose/athletic center and extensive renovations to the library, science and agriculture/natural resource science facilities.

The university is among the lowest in total costs of any Texas public institution of higher education.