NOTE TO MEDIA: The link below lists Baylor University graduates, their state, territory or country, hometown, degree(s) received, major(s) and undergraduate honors. Student hometown ZIP Codes are included for delineation purposes. Graduation information is certified by the Baylor University Office of the Registrar.
Spring 2026 Baylor University Graduates
Baylor University Celebrates Spring 2026 Graduates
WACO, Texas (June 29, 2026) – Baylor University celebrated more than 3,100 Baylor University graduates who received their degrees during four spring commencement ceremonies in May in the Ferrell Center.
President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., presided over the ceremonies, assisted by Provost Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D., the deans of Baylor’s 12 colleges and schools who presented the candidates for graduation and more than 110 faculty members served as marshals and ushers. As with each Baylor commencement ceremony, the University President gives the traditional message to the graduates.
“Every time I speak during Commencement – looking at thousands of faces shining with promise – I am reminded of the value of institutions like Baylor, where Christian commitment is the foundation of our mission,” President Livingstone said. “Reflecting on those ceremonies, I am certain members of this year’s graduating class will change our world for the better, and I was honored to encourage them as they take the next steps in their journey.”
A strong voice for the role of faith-based institutions in American higher education, President Livingstone’s message offered wise counsel about courage and faith in God as the now-Baylor Alumni embark upon their careers and lives of service:
- If you want to be loyal, you must be brave enough to stand with someone when it’s unpopular.
- If you want to be a person of integrity, you must be courageous enough to tell the truth, even when it costs you.
- If you want to fling your green and gold afar, you must be daring enough to journey to unknown places.
President Livingstone also shared a portion of the Immortal Message written by Baylor President Samuel Palmer Brooks to the Class of 1931 - a message about courage that remains true today. Do not face the future with timidity nor with fear. Face it boldly, courageously, joyously. Have faith in what it holds.
"I am so excited to see what the Class of 2026 will accomplish as the next generation of courageous leaders," President Livingstone said. "We are thrilled to have them in the Baylor Family."
Baylor’s mission is to educate students for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community. Students are drawn to the University from all 50 states and more than 100 countries for the transformational Baylor experience that combines Christian mission and academic excellence at a midsize university with a vibrant campus life of nearly 400 clubs and organizations and Power 4 athletics (Big 12 Conference).
Baylor provides numerous academic and research opportunities across various disciplines and a high-value experience through 133 baccalaureate programs in fields as varied as business, engineering, pre-medicine, computer science, religion, nursing and music, along with 82 master's programs, 52 doctoral programs (including the Juris Doctor) and the Education Specialist program. Baylor offers a transformational undergraduate experience that is nationally recognized in the 2026 U.S. News’ Best Colleges rankings:
- No. 4 nationally for First-Year Experience
- No. 9 for best “learning communities”
- Top 20% of national universities
- One of America’s most beautiful college campuses – U.S. News & World Report, Architectural Digest, Condé Nast Traveler
- Top 40 nationally for best undergraduate teaching and research
- Top 40 nationally for “Most Innovative Schools”
As for outcomes after graduation, Baylor also is among the top universities for career and leadership success:
- 92% placement rate for recent graduates (finding jobs in their fields of study)
- 94% success rate for recent graduates (jobs, internships and graduate school)
- Top 75 among “Best Colleges for Future Leaders” – TIME
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 14-to-1, Baylor students interact with outstanding full-time faculty – who deeply value teaching and mentoring – from their first days on campus through graduation while also pursuing research and scholarship at the highest levels.
One of one of only three private Research 1 universities in the state of Texas, Baylor is among an elite list of 187 private universities designated as R1 by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Through top-tier research, scholarship and external funding support, R1 universities bring their voice to bear in addressing the world’s most significant challenges. Baylor – as a preeminent Christian research university – infuses the quest for solutions, at the highest levels, with the University’s distinct voice and mission.
Today, Baylor continues to move forward under the Baylor in Deeds strategic plan, which aims to intentionally create a larger network of relationships across the globe, increasing student and faculty mobility and elevating Baylor’s research aims to global issues of high impact.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.