Overview

Baylor University, situated in Waco, Texas, is a private Baptist Christian research institution. Chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas, Baylor holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and one of the pioneering educational establishments west of the Mississippi River in the United States. Nestled on a sprawling 1,000-acre (400-hectare) campus along the Brazos River, adjacent to I-35, between the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex and Austin, it stands as the largest Baptist university globally.

As of the fall of 2021, Baylor boasted a total enrollment of 20,626 students, with 15,191 at the undergraduate level and 5,435 at the graduate level. Recognized for its significant research activities, the university is classified under "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity." Baylor University confers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional programs. The Bears, representing Baylor University in intercollegiate sports, compete in 19 sports and are proud members of the Big 12 Conference in NCAA Division I.

Ranking

Academic Rankings:
National:

• ARWU: 153-168
• Forbes: 164
• THE / WSJ: 170
• U.S. News & World Report: 75
• Washington Monthly: 336

Global:

• ARWU: 601-700
• QS: 1001-1200
• THE: 801-1000
• U.S. News & World Report: 376

USNWR Graduate School Rankings:

• Business: 56
• Education: 147
• Engineering: 129
• Law: 50
• Nursing: Doctorate: 59

USNWR Departmental Rankings:

• Biological Sciences: 85
• Chemistry: 88
• Clinical Psychology: 101
• Earth Sciences: 99
• English: 116
• Entrepreneurship: 8
• Health Care Management: 17
• Mathematics: 117
• Nursing–Midwifery: 21
• Physical Therapy: 13
• Physics: 124
• Psychology: 98
• Public Health: 62
• Social Work: 59
• Sociology: 87
• Speech–Language Pathology: 55
• Statistics: 83

In the 2021 "Best Colleges" rankings by U.S. News & World Report, Baylor was tied for the 76th best "national university" in the U.S., tied at 31st for "Best Undergraduate Teaching," and tied at 25th for "Most Innovative."

Baylor University holds accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Graduate Rankings:

Several Baylor graduate programs, including the law school, Hankamer School of Business, and programs in the sciences and education, are nationally ranked. According to the National Research Council (NRC), among these programs, Baylor's Graduate program in English was ranked first for Student Support and Outcomes, and Baylor's Doctoral program in Sociology was ranked third nationally. The rankings are based on criteria such as the percentage of students receiving full financial support, PhD completion percentage, median time to completion of degrees, and job placement rate.

Organizational Structure:

Pat Neff Hall, housing the university president's office and others, serves as a focal point for the institutional organization.

The university is structured into twelve academic units that confer degrees. Among these, three units hold the designation of colleges, eight are recognized as schools, and one functions as a seminary.They are as follows:

• College of Arts & Sciences
• Diana R. Garland School of Social Work
• George W. Truett Theological Seminary
• Graduate School
• Hankamer School of Business
• Honors College
• Law School
• Louise Herrington School of Nursing
• Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences
• School of Education
• School of Engineering & Computer Science
• School of Music