Top Universities in Oklahoma

Oklahoma's university system is anchored by two major public research institutions with a long-standing athletic and academic rivalry, supported by a set of regional and tribal-affiliated schools that broaden the state's higher-education landscape considerably.

University of Oklahoma

The University of Oklahoma, in Norman, is the state's flagship research university, with particular strength in energy-related engineering, meteorology — its atmospheric science program benefits directly from the school's location in Tornado Alley — and a nationally prominent athletics program that shapes much of the surrounding town's identity.

Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State, based in Stillwater, is the state's land-grant institution, with deep strength in agriculture, veterinary medicine, and engineering, and it anchors Stillwater's identity as thoroughly as OU shapes Norman's.

University of Tulsa

The University of Tulsa is a smaller private research university with particular strength in energy-related fields, reflecting the city's historical relationship with the oil industry, along with a strong law school.

Tribal Nation Colleges and Universities

Oklahoma is home to several tribal-affiliated colleges and universities, reflecting the state's unusually large concentration of federally recognized tribal nations and giving the state's higher-education landscape a dimension not found in most other states.

Oklahoma City University

A private university with a strong performing arts and law program, Oklahoma City University adds a smaller, urban-focused institution to the state's capital, distinct from the two large public flagships.

Why Oklahoma's Universities Matter

The OU-OSU rivalry alone shapes an enormous amount of Oklahoma's civic and cultural life, but the state's tribal colleges and University of Tulsa round out a higher-education picture considerably more varied than the two flagship schools alone would suggest.