The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) has recently earned special recognition from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) for its commitment to “underrepresented” students and helping them succeed after graduation.
UTA is one of only three colleges in the country, alongside the University of South Carolina Upstate and San Jose State University, to receive this year’s honor from the DOE’s “Post-Secondary Success Recognition Program.”
The DOE created the recognition program to spotlight colleges with a proven track record in enhancing access to higher education and better outcomes for students from historically underserved communities. Of the 200 colleges and universities that applied, UTA stood out for its success in ensuring that all students have the resources and support they need to thrive academically.
UTA’s strategies include initiatives like pop-up events for the school’s food pantry, ensuring students have access to essential everyday resources, even those facing food insecurity or financial stability issues.
In addition, the school’s Blaze Forward program, which offers “need-based” financial aid to students from families earning $100,000 or less, has seen a big expansion in recent years. The program will be available to even more UTA students starting this fall, according to a recent press release.
The second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, UTA has a student body of 41,000, nearly 30,000 undergraduates, with over half of the students at UTA coming from “underrepresented backgrounds.”
More data from the school shows that nearly half of UTA’s undergraduates (47.5%) are federal Pell Grant recipients, a clear indicator of the university’s role in serving students with a wide variety of financial needs.
“We are distinct because we have the academic credentials of a top national research university while also remaining highly accessible to students from all backgrounds,” UTA President Jennifer Crowley said via press release.
UTA graduates report the highest median salary one year after graduation in the entire UT System at nearly $67,500, surpassing other big schools like UT Austin and UT Dallas.
UTA’s growing success has earned it national recognition in a few different areas.
According to rankings from The Wall Street Journal, UTA sits as the top university in North Texas for post-graduation salaries and is ranked fourth nationwide in the category.
The school was also celebrated as one of the top 5 best public universities in Texas for veterans in 2024, as recognized by Military Times.