TCU beat out Stanford twice, in football and in financial health. TCU won 34-27 in a game on Stanford’s home turf in Palo Alto and — perhaps more surprising — the Frogs inched past the California “Ivy” in Forbes’ ranking of private universities and their financial health. 

TCU’s spot? 8. Stanford’s spot? 11. 

“Balance sheet strength is never mentioned on the list of must-haves. But it should be,” stated the Forbes article with the college rankings. “For any student who wants to spend their college days on the same campus — especially if that school is small to begin with — selecting a financially sound school is more important than ever.”

Forbes looked at factors, including the university’s endowment, financial reserves, tuition and the percentage of students accepted who end up enrolling, among other factors.

Out of the 876 private and not-for-profit colleges ranked, TCU came in at No. 8 with an A+ grade and a “financial GPA” of 4.32. University of Pennsylvania ranked first. Twenty-seven schools got an A+ grade.

TCU was the only Texas school to receive an A+ grade. Rice received an A (3.97); Trinity University an A (3.92); Southern Methodist University an A- (3.52); Baylor University an A- (3.43). East Fort Worth’s Texas Wesleyan University earned a B (2.97). 

“Over the past decade, TCU’s student population has grown from 9,000 to more than 12,000, supported by significant investments in campus infrastructure through a balance of campus and philanthropic resources,” said Bill Nunez, TCU vice chancellor for finance and administration. “This growth has been carefully managed to ensure it enhances the student academic experience without compromising financial stability.”

Nunez said reaching the $1 billion mark in the university’s endowment campaign has bolstered the school’s long-term institutional goals, including student scholarships, faculty endowments and campus improvements. 

Despite projected enrollment declines at universities around the nation, TCU expects its student enrollment will continue to grow, according to the TCU Campus Master Plan. The university also plans to expand facilities and construct more buildings and sports facilities. 

Shomial Ahmad is a higher education reporter for the Fort Worth Report, in partnership with Open Campus. Contact her at shomial.ahmad@fortworthreport.org.

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