KINGSVILLE (May 6, 2025) — Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) has been designated as an Opportunity University and a Research 2: High Research Spending and Doctorate Production institution by the Carnegie Classifications. The University is one of 27 institutions nationwide to earn both classifications and one of 11 public universities in Texas to be named an Opportunity University.
Being designated as an Opportunity University recognizes the institution for providing all students with high access to education and high-earning outcomes after graduation.
“Our University is committed to the success of all students and transforming the lives of our graduates and their families, fostering multigenerational prosperity,” said TAMUK President Dr. Robert Vela. “As the first institution of higher learning in South Texas, TAMUK has opened the doors of opportunity for students for a century. This new designation from Carnegie validates that our graduates are prepared to make meaningful impacts in our communities and are well-equipped for careers that will strengthen our regional economy.”
The designations are part of the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education (ACE) 's newly released updates to their Carnegie Classifications, which included the identification of Opportunity Colleges and Universities.
This classification examines the extent to which institutions foster opportunities for student success by measuring whether they enroll students who are reflective of the communities they serve and how their earnings compare to peers in their area.
In 2025, 479 institutions across the nation were identified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities, which is about 16% of all U.S. colleges and universities in the Student Access and Earnings Classification.
TAMUK joins Texas A&M International University as the only two institutions in the Texas A&M University System recognized as Opportunity Universities.
Texas A&M-Kingsville has also been classified as a Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Medium institution, meaning it awards at least 20 doctorate degrees, at least 25 percent of the total degrees awarded are graduate degrees, and fewer than 50 percent of degrees are awarded in one focus area.
In Research Activity, TAMUK is also designated as a Research 2: High Research Spending and Doctorate Production institution. Institutions with this designation spend at least $5 million on research and development and award at least 20 research doctorates.
According to 2022-23 data reported by the institutions to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and to the National Science Foundation (NSF) Higher Education Research Data (HERD) survey, TAMUK’s research spending totaled $26,401,000.
The institution also awarded 21 research doctorates in Education (14), Engineering (4), and Natural Resources and Conservation (3).
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