Western Athletic Conference: Learn About the Member Universities

The Western Athletic Conference is made up of a group of eight colleges spanning a huge part of the country, from Louisiana to Texas. Admissions criteria vary widely, so be sure to click on the profile link to get more data.

Compare the Western Athletic Conference schools: SAT chart | ACT chart

Explore other top conferences: ACC | Big East | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac 12 | SEC

Also be sure to visit the About.com guides for college football and basketball.

California State University, Bakersfield

Cal State Bakersfield is located on a 375-acre campus in the San Joaquin Valley, midway between Fresno and Los Angeles. The university offers 31 bachelor's degree programs and 17 graduate degree programs. Among undergraduates, business administration and the liberal arts and sciences are the most popular majors.

Location: Bakersfield, California
Enrollment: 9,228 (8,108 undergraduates)
School type: public university
Team: Roadrunners
For data on costs, financial aid, acceptance rates and more, read the Cal State Bakersfield profile.

Chicago State University

Chicago State University is located in the south side of Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1867 as a teacher training school housed in a leaky railroad car, today Chicago State is a mid-sized master's-level university. Undergraduates can chose from 36 bachelor's degree programs. At the graduate level, the university offers 22 master's and two doctoral degree programs. Among undergraduates, psychology and professional fields such as business, nursing, education, and criminal justice are all popular.

Location: Chicago, Illinois
Enrollment: 4,767 (3,462 undergraduates)
School type: public university
Team: Cougars
For data on costs, financial aid, acceptance rates and more, read the Chicago State University profile.

Grand Canyon University

Since 1949, Grand Canyon University has offered both traditional and online classes from its campus in the heart of Phoenix, Arizona. The for-profit, Christian university supports nearly 70,000 students, well over half of them undergraduates. Grand Canyon University offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, and they are very proud of their highly praised College of Nursing and Health Care Professions.

Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Enrollment: 69,444 (43,295 undergraduates)
School type: Private, for-profit
Team: Antelopes
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Grand Canyon University profile.

New Mexico State University

NMSU is classified as a Hispanic-serving institution for its efforts educating first-generation Hispanic students. Students come from 50 states and 85 countries. The university has an 16 to 1 student / faculty ratio and the only Honors College in New Mexico. Education, health and business fields are all popular among undergraduates.

Location: Las Cruces, New Mexico
School type: Public
Enrollment: 15,490 (12,526 undergraduates)
Team: Aggies
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the New Mexico State University profile.

Seattle University

Located on a 48-acre campus in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood, Seattle University is a private Jesuit university that has 61 undergraduate and 31 graduate programs. The university has an interesting 15-course core curriculum that culminates in students applying their education to contemporary social problems. Academics are supported by a healthy 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio. Seattle University has recently moved from Division II into Division I.

Location: Seattle, Washington
School type: Private
Enrollment: 7,405 (4,602 undergraduates
Team: Redhawks
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Seattle University profile.

University of Missouri–Kansas City

Epperson House at UMKC. Epperson House at UMKC

UMKC students come from 50 states and 80 countries. Students can choose from over 120 degree programs, and professional fields in business, nursing and communications are among the most popular with undergraduates. The school has a 14 to 1 student / faculty ratio, an impressive statistic for a public university. The average class size is 27.

Location: Kansas City, Missouri
School type: public universtiy
Enrollment: 16,695 (11,243 undergraduates)
Team: Kangaroos ("Roos")
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the UMKC profile.

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

UTPA Computer Center after a rare snowfall. Anne Toal / Flickr

Located in Edinburg, a city on the southernmost tip of Texas, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) sits just ten miles from the border with Mexico. The university is among the top in the country for the number of bachelor's degrees awarded to Hispanic students, and the school has also ranked highly on the Forbes list of best public universities. Undergraduates can choose from 57 degree programs, and popular majors span a wide range of fields in the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and professional areas.

Location: Edinburg, Texas
School type: public universtiy
Enrollment: 28,584 (24,547 undergraduates)
Team: Broncs
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Utah Valley University

Utah Valley University is a rapidly growing public institution located in Orem, Utah, just north of Provo. Salt Lake City is less than an hour away to the north, and skiing, hiking, and boating are all nearby. Utah Valley University has a 22 to 1 student / faculty ratio, and students can choose from roughly 60 bachelor degree programs. Psychology, business, and education are all popular, and the university also has an excellent flight school.

Location: Orem, Utah
School type: public universtiy
Enrollment: 33,211 (33,026 undergraduates)
Team: Broncs
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Utah Valley University profile.