Angelo State Ranks No. 6 Nationally as Military Friendly School

SAN ANGELO, TX - For the 17th time, Angelo State University has earned the "Military Friendly School" designation from Victory Media (VIQTORY), which comprises several digital and print resources, including G.I. Jobs magazine, that serve military personnel and veterans transitioning into civilian life.

ASU has also been ranked No. 6 among all the U.S. institutions in the Large Public University category that were awarded the "Military Friendly School" designation for 2026-27. ASU is the only Texas institution ranked in the top 10 in this category.

The 2026-27 Military Friendly Schools list honors the top U.S. institutions of higher education that are doing the most to embrace America's military service members, veterans and their dependents as students, and to dedicate resources to ensure their success both in the classroom and after graduation.

"ASU has consistently earned Military Friendly Gold status, and to now earn the top 10 recognition nationally is another outstanding achievement," said ASU President Ronnie Hawkins. "We have over 1,000 military-affiliated students enrolled at ASU, and being designated a Military Friendly School lets our veterans, active duty military and their families know that we appreciate their service to our nation and are committed to their academic and career success. It also shows potential military-affiliated students that wherever in the world they may live or be stationed, the best way to go is to go as a Ram."

Each year, institutions are evaluated using both public data sources and their responses to the proprietary Military Friendly Schools survey. More than 3,200 schools completed the survey this year, but only 878 were awarded the "Military Friendly School" designation, according to the 2026-27 Military Friendly Schools Data Snapshot. The final rankings are determined by combining each institution's survey scores with an assessment of the institution's ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence and loan default rates for all students - and specifically for military-affiliated students.

"Our 'Military Friendly School' ranking isn't just an award; it's an annual celebration of the teamwork that defines Angelo State," said Phillip Nichelson, director of affiliated military and veteran services. "Thanks to the dedication of our entire university family, we continue to showcase that spirit of success. We are especially proud of our military-affiliated students, whose achievements shine as a national standard of excellence."

ASU's programs for military and veteran students are overseen by the Office of Affiliated Military and Veteran Services, which is housed in the Veterans Educational and Transitional Services (VETS) Center in the Houston Harte University Center.

The complete list of 2026-27 Military Friendly Schools is annually provided to service members and their families, helping them select the best college, university or trade school to receive the education and training needed to pursue a civilian career. The list is also available at MilitaryFriendly.com and is published in the April issue of G.I. Jobs magazine.