History
UTEP officially opened in the fall of 1914 and is the second oldest institution in The University of Texas System. Today, it enrolls more than 25,000 students and is designated an R1 university (very high research activity) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, one of only 131 (4.5%) among the 2,883 four-year higher education institutions across the U.S.
Education
UTEP offers a broad array of degree programs – 72 bachelor’s, 73 master’s and 20 doctoral degrees taught by outstanding faculty who have been recognized for their commitment to student success.
Research
UTEP’s research achievements draw on such traditional areas of strength as science and engineering, as well as a broad range of programs and interdisciplinary research centers that have evolved with UTEP’s growth and development, including:
- Border Biomedical Research Center
- Center for the Advancement of Space Safety and Mission Assurance Research
- Center for Environmental Resource Management
- Center for Inland Desalination Systems
- Center for Inter-American and Border Studies
- Center for Interdisciplinary Health Research and Evaluation
- Center for Law and Human Behavior
- Center for Space Exploration and Technology Research
Career
Explore the many opportunities for on-campus employment, internships and professional jobs. There are more than 2,300 students working on campus. UTEP students have secured more than 700 internship positions in El Paso and across the country. Get started today!
University Ranking
QS World University Rankings by TopUniversities
2025
1001
2024
1001 200
2023
1201
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
World University Rankings by Times Higher Education
2025
-
2024
801
2023
801
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University
2024
-
2023
801 -100
2022
701
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report
2025
-
2024
1073 -198
2023
875
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
Student services
The Office of International Programs primarily assists UTEP international students, scholars, and dependent family members to maintain their non-immigrant statuses. We comply with federal regulations for mandatory record-keeping and reporting to federal agencies on behalf of UTEP. We provide high-quality immigration advising and services, and coordinate with university partners to assist international students and scholars in pursuing academic goals.
Housing services
The Department of Residence Life provides apartment-style residence halls with several floor plans, from cozy efficiencies to two- and four-bedroom units. There are also community spaces with room for studying, recreation, private mailboxes and administrative offices.
Library services
The present Library opened October 12, 1984. It features a unique Bhutanese architecture, as do many of the buildings on campus. The light and airy atrium of the Library houses one of the University's collection of tapestries sewn by Buddhist monks in Thimphu, the Bhutanese capitol. The Library building is 275,000 square feet, with six floors and a book capacity of 1.2 million volumes.
The University of Texas at El Paso is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral level degrees.
UTEP offers the only AACSB Accredited business programs in the El Paso border region.