This story was updated because an earlier version included inaccuracies.
Every year, U.S. News & World Report publishes an academic ranking of all United States universities, including yearly tuition, enrollment and acceptance rates. Five SEC programs rank among the top 100 academically heading into the 2026-2027 school year.
The University of Oklahoma is the only school in the SEC with an undergraduate in-state tuition rate less than $10,000 per year. The Sooners have been able to enter the SEC without dramatically raising their tuition rates, and Oklahoma also enjoyed the biggest jump in academic ranking in the conference.
The only schools with lower enrollment than OU are Vanderbilt (a private school), Mississippi State and Ole Miss. Eight of the 16 SEC schools have undergraduate enrollments greater than 30,000, led by Texas A&M with more than 60,000. The University of Texas has the next-highest enrollment at more than 40,000 undergraduate students.
So, as the University of Oklahoma prepares for its third academic year in the SEC, here’s how it stacks up academically against the rest of the conference, according to U.S. News & World Report.
City: Starkville, Mississippi
2025 SEC Rank: 16
Undergraduate enrollment: 18,567
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2024: No. 216 (tied)
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 214
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 208
In-state cost: $10,604
Acceptance rate: 78%
City: Fayetteville, Arkansas
2025 SEC Rank: 15
Undergraduate enrollment: 28,859
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2024: No. 178
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: 189
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: 183
In-state cost: $10,496
Acceptance rate: 74%
City: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
2025 SEC Rank: 14
Undergraduate enrollment: 34,242
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2024: No. 185
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 179 (tied)
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 169 (tied)
In-state cost: $12,551
Acceptance rate: 73%
Get more LSU Tigers news, analysis and opinions on LSU Tigers Wire.
City: Oxford, Mississippi
2025 SEC Rank: 12
Undergraduate enrollment: 21,585
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2024: No. 163
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 171 (tied)
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 169 (tied)
In-state cost: $10,150
Acceptance rate: 97%
City: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
2025 SEC Rank: 12
Undergraduate enrollment: 34,389
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2024: No. 170
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 171
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 169
In-state cost: $12,484
Acceptance rate: 77%
Get more Alabama news, analysis and opinions on Roll Tide Wire.
City: Lexington, Kentucky
2025 SEC Rank: 11
Undergraduate enrollment: 25,534
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2024: No. 159
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 152
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 143
In-state cost: $13,907
Acceptance rate: 93%
Get more Kentucky Wildcats news, analysis and opinions on UK Wildcats Wire.
City: Columbia, South Carolina
2025 SEC Rank: 10
Undergraduate enrollment: 30,187
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2024: No. 124 (tied)
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 121
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 127
In-state cost: $12,688
Acceptance rate: 60%
City: Norman, Oklahoma
2025 SEC Rank: 10
Undergraduate enrollment: 23,351
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2024: No. 124 (tied)
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 132
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 110 (tied)
In-state cost: $9,887
Acceptance rate: 77%
Get more Oklahoma Sooners news, analysis and opinions on Sooners Wire
City: Knoxville, Tennessee
2025 SEC Rank: 7
Undergraduate enrollment: 30,564
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2024: No. 105
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 109 (tied)
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 102 (tied)
In-state cost: $13,812
Acceptance rate: 42%
Get more Tennessee Volunteers news, analysis and opinions on Vols Wire
City: Columbia, Missouri
2025 SEC Rank: 7
Undergraduate enrollment: 24,449
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2024: No. 124 (tied)
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 109 (tied)
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 102 (tied)
In-state cost: $15,548
Acceptance rate: 78%
City: Auburn, Alabama
2025 SEC Rank: 6
Undergraduate enrollment: 27,907
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2024: No. 93
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: 105
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: 102
In-state cost: $13,318
Acceptance rate: 46%
Get more Auburn Tigers news, analysis and opinions on Auburn Wire.
City: College Station, Texas
2025 SEC Rank: 5
Undergraduate enrollment: 60,710
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2024: No. 47
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: 51
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: 51 (tied)
In-state cost: $12,928
Acceptance rate: 57%
Get more Texas A&M Aggies news, analysis and opinions on Aggies Wire
City: Athens, Georgia
2025 SEC Rank: 4
Undergraduate enrollment: 32,399
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2024: No. 47
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 46
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 46 (tied)
In-state cost: $11,492
Acceptance rate: 38%
Get more Georgia Bulldogs news, analysis and opinions on UGA Wire.
City: Austin, Texas
2025 SEC Rank: 2
Undergraduate enrollment: 43,156
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2024: No. 32
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 30 (tied)
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 30 (tied)
In-state cost: $11,678
Acceptance rate: 27%
Get more Texas Longhorns news, analysis and opinions on Longhorns Wire.
City: Gainesville, Florida
2025 SEC Rank: 2
Undergraduate enrollment: 36,573
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2024: No. 28
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 30 (tied)
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 30 (tied)
In-state cost: $6,381
Acceptance rate: 24%
Get more Florida Gators news, analysis and opinions on Gators Wire.
City: Nashville, Tennessee
2025 SEC Rank: 1
Undergraduate enrollment in fall 2024: 7,221
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2024: No. 18
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 18 (Tied)
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 17
Tuition: $71,226
Acceptance rate: 6%
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