Best Research Universities in Oklahoma 2024

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Interested in attending a STEM school in Oklahoma? Our ranking of top research universities for bachelor’s degrees displays schools that will best prepare you for STEM careers.

Best Research Universities in Oklahoma 2024

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Colleges and Universities in Oklahoma

Less than half of the schools in Oklahoma are private schools. However, students who attend one these schools can expect a more intimate college experience, as each has a student population smaller than 4,000 students. The largest private school, the University of Tulsa, offers degrees in fields like education, criminal justice, and literature, with tuition fees around $41,000. The public schools tend to be more cost-friendly, with tuition ranging from $4,000 to $9,000 per year.

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The University of Oklahoma, the state’s largest public school, costs about $9,000 and serves over 24,000 students. Here, students can partake in competitive on-campus programs in fields like communications and social work, or pursue one of the 30 graduate degrees and certificates online. Oklahoma is also home to several religiously affiliated schools, like Oral Roberts University and Bacone College. Students hoping to pursue a career as a physician, physician’s assistant, or dentist may also want to consider earning their degree here as the state offers several loan forgiveness programs to those who qualify.

The state of Oklahoma is serious about its food - so serious they even declared an official state meal, which consists of fried okra, cornbread, barbecue pork, squash, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken fried steak, black-eyed peas, and pecan pie. Those hoping to feed both their bellies and their minds can attend one of Oklahoma’s more than 40 colleges and universities.

To learn more about earning your degree in Oklahoma, check out some of the state’s top programs.


What are Oklahoma’s Colleges & Universities?

Oklahoma’s Best Overall

Related: Differences between research universities and teaching colleges

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A research university is a great option for students interested in obtaining STEM degrees. Research universities invest heavily in research, which consequently provides meaningful and extensive opportunities for its students and faculty to participate in research. We’ve identified 4 research universities in Oklahoma. To be included in our ranking, schools must be a fully accredited universities and must must offer doctoral degrees across the range of STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math).

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Best Research Universities in Oklahoma 2023

  1. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $47K

    Acceptance

    69%

    Graduation

    72%

    Student body

    4K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1214/25

    Career Outlook for degree at University of Tulsa

    Cost of Degree: $46,676
    Expenses: $18,396
    Starting Salary: $60,500
    Cost Recoup Time: 17 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
  2. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $10K

    Acceptance

    71%

    Graduation

    65%

    Student body

    27K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1130/23

    Career Outlook for degree at Oklahoma State University–Stillwater

    Cost of Degree: $10,110
    Expenses: $15,970
    Starting Salary: $55,300
    Cost Recoup Time: 10 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Oklahoma State University–Stillwater’s Online Degrees

    BS in Early Child Care And Development
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Elementary Education
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BSN in Nursing Rn To Bsn
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  3. #4

    Oklahoma City University

    Oklahoma City , OK
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $33K

    Acceptance

    70%

    Graduation

    69%

    Student body

    3K

    Career Outlook for degree at Oklahoma City University

    Cost of Degree: $32,744
    Expenses: $13,736
    Starting Salary: $51,100
    Cost Recoup Time: 15 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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Find the Best Research Universities in Oklahoma for Your Area of Interest

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

  1. University of Oklahoma
  2. Oklahoma City University
  3. University of Tulsa
  4. Oklahoma State University–Stillwater

Check out our directory of research universities throughout the U.S. for a look at the top research institutions in every state.

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