•AVERAGE: 69
Less than 40 years after the annexation of Texas in 1883, the University of Texas was founded in Austin. This 4-year public university has grown with the capital city – covering over 430 acres within the sprawling city limits. Austin, situated along the Colorado River and featuring 3 man-made lakes, is a bustling technology center that is home to some of the largest tech and bio-tech companies in the world. The University is downtown and contains an expansive network of tunnels (constructed in the 1930s) that interconnect the campus buildings. Notable Longhorn alumni include 15 congressmen, former First Lady Laura Bush, actor Matthew McConaughey and noted journalists Bill Moyers and Walter Cronkite.