Is a research university right for me?–

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students. Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel. Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well. Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Is an online college right for me?–

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college. Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain. Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc. The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions. If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

Best Research Universities in Oklahoma 2024

Q: Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Badge for BEST IN OKLAHOMA RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES

By Dr. James Barham

Published: May 3, 2021
Updated: Oct 26, 2023

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

University of Oklahoma
University of Tulsa
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater
Oklahoma City University

University of Oklahoma
University of Tulsa
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater
Oklahoma City University

University of Oklahoma 73%
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater 71%
Oklahoma City University 70%
University of Tulsa 69%

Oklahoma State University–Stillwater 18 to 1
University of Oklahoma 16 to 1
University of Tulsa 10 to 1
Oklahoma City University 9 to 1

University of Tulsa $47,211
Oklahoma City University $32,744
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater $5,417
University of Oklahoma $4,920

University of Tulsa $25,002
Oklahoma City University $10,620
University of Oklahoma $8,034
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater $5,611

Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater
University of Tulsa
University of Oklahoma

Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater
University of Tulsa
University of Oklahoma

University of Tulsa 69%
Oklahoma City University 70%
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater 71%
University of Oklahoma 73%

Oklahoma City University 9 to 1
University of Tulsa 10 to 1
University of Oklahoma 16 to 1
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater 18 to 1

University of Oklahoma $4,920
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater $5,417
Oklahoma City University $32,744
University of Tulsa $47,211

Oklahoma State University–Stillwater $5,611
University of Oklahoma $8,034
Oklahoma City University $10,620
University of Tulsa $25,002

Table of Contents

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.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

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

How do we determine Oklahoma's best research universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

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).

Best Research Universities in Oklahoma 2023

#1
University of Oklahoma
Norman , OK
#1 Best Grad Schools in Oklahoma 2024 #1 Best Colleges in Oklahoma 2024 #1 Cheapest Colleges in Oklahoma 2024 #1 Best Public Colleges in Oklahoma 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
76%
Student body
32K
Median SAT/ACT
1230/26
Career Outlook for degree at University of Oklahoma
Cost of Degree: $9,312
Expenses: $23,361
Starting Salary: $61,900
Cost Recoup Time: 11 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is University of Oklahoma known for?

University of Oklahoma’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Earth Sciences
History
Social Work
Business
Law
Education
Medical
Anthropology
Sociology
Engineering

Most Influential Alumni

Gregory Benford
Eugene Landy
Gladys West
Thomas W. Gilligan
Henry T. Lynch
Huey Long
Dean Wooldridge
Azar Nafisi
Pat Choate
Troy Aikman
Jim Butcher
James Garner
Compare school
#2
University of Tulsa
Tulsa , OK
#1 Best Private Colleges in Oklahoma 2024 #1 Best Small Colleges in Oklahoma 2024 #1 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024 #1 Best Christian Colleges in Oklahoma 2024
Other Rankings
- #2 Best Grad Schools in Oklahoma 2024
- #2 Best Colleges in Oklahoma 2024
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
What is University of Tulsa known for?

University of Tulsa’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Earth Sciences
History
Engineering
Law
Literature
Business
Communications
Psychology
Education
Chemistry

Most Influential Alumni

Scott Pruitt
Paul Harvey
Marie Tharp
Godfried Toussaint
Hank Haney
Lovie Smith
Robert Hogan
Daniel H. Wilson
Phil McGraw
Rue McClanahan
Nell Jessup Newton
James Westphal
Compare school
#3
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater
Stillwater , OK
#2 Cheapest Colleges in Oklahoma 2024 #2 Best Public Colleges in Oklahoma 2024 #3 Best Grad Schools in Oklahoma 2024 #3 Best Colleges in Oklahoma 2024
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
What is Oklahoma State University–Stillwater known for?

Oklahoma State University–Stillwater’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Engineering
Mathematics
Physics
Philosophy
Sociology
History
Biology
Communications
Business
Chemistry

Most Influential Alumni

Jeffrey Beall
Nachman Aronszajn
Chester Gould
Garth Brooks
Anita Hill
Reba McEntire
Gebisa Ejeta
J. Tinsley Oden
J. N. Reddy
Joseph W. Westphal
Behrokh Khoshnevis
Gene Nichol
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
Compare school
#4
Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City , OK
#2 Best Private Colleges in Oklahoma 2024 #2 Best Small Colleges in Oklahoma 2024 #2 Best Christian Colleges in Oklahoma 2024 #4 Best Grad Schools in Oklahoma 2024
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
What is Oklahoma City University known for?

Oklahoma City University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Nursing
Law
Medical
Criminal Justice
Political Science
Business
History
Biology
Education
Psychology

Most Influential Alumni

Michael D. Brown
Marian P. Opala
Fred Tackett
Mason Williams
Mickey Edwards
William C. Wantland
Jeane Porter Hester
Chris Harrison
Bill Randle
Kristin Chenoweth
Serene Jones
W. Stephen Smith
Compare school

Build your own college rankings

Find the Best Research Universities in Oklahoma for Your Area of Interest

Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges

In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students.

Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines.

Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.

Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.
Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students.

Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).

Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers.

Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US.

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available.

Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online.

Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.

Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands.

Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.

Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving.

If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.

The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors.

Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.

If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 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.

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

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here

Best Research Universities in Oklahoma 2024

Best Research Universities in Oklahoma 2024

Colleges and Universities in Oklahoma

What are Oklahoma’s Colleges & Universities?

Oklahoma’s Best Overall

Best Research Universities in Oklahoma 2023

University of Oklahoma

Career Outlook for degree at University of Oklahoma

Most Influential Alumni

University of Tulsa

Career Outlook for degree at University of Tulsa

Most Influential Alumni

Oklahoma State University–Stillwater

Career Outlook for degree at Oklahoma State University–Stillwater

Most Influential Alumni

Oklahoma State University–Stillwater’s Online Degrees

Oklahoma City University

Career Outlook for degree at Oklahoma City University

Most Influential Alumni

Find the Best Research Universities in Oklahoma for Your Area of Interest