Learning
Tulsa has something in common with Austin, Texas; Boulder, Colo., Madison, Wisc., and so many others: It’s a college town. In fact, nearly 50,000 college students call the area home. But Tulsa’s passion for education begins long before college. Oklahoma boasts a nationally-leading pre-K system, and many of Tulsa’s secondary schools are ranked among the nation’s best.
The National Institute of Early Childhood Research lists Oklahoma as a model for Pre-K programs
Primary & Secondary
More than 90,000 students attend 15 school districts in Tulsa County, with offerings ranging from large suburban districts like Jenks Public Schools — a Malcom Baldridge National Quality Award recipient — to historic urban sites like Edison and Booker T. Washington high schools, both noted on Newsweek Magazine’s list of the top 1,000 high schools in the U.S.
But in a state that is consistently cited as a national model for pre-K education, it’s no surprise that Tulsa specializes in early childhood education. It’s the only city in the nation with three Educare sites, and nearly all school districts offer pre-K programs with no income requirement. Moreover, CAP Tulsa, recognized by the National Office of Head Start as one of only 10 centers of excellence nationwide, has 13 sites throughout the Tulsa area.
Find the right district for your family with the Tulsa Regional Chamber’s Guide to Education, browse the state Department of Education website or view reports by the ImpactTulsa area-wide education collaborative.
Oklahoma’s average ACT score ranks 11th nationally
Higher Education
With 67,540 college students enrolled in a 50-mile radius, Tulsa is a college town, through and through. In fact, the city recently placed fourth nationally in a contest to increase the number of college grads over three years. One big reason is Tulsa Achieves, a nationally-recognized program that offers free Tulsa Community College tuition to all Tulsa County high school graduates who finish with a 2.0 GPA. That’s right — high school grads get free college just for living in Tulsa.
The University of Tulsa and Oral Roberts University — both recognized among the nation’s top universities — offer quality private education in the heart of the city. Also thriving are branch campuses of the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University, as well as an OSU medical teaching facility and regional residential universities like Rogers State University and Northeastern State University. Tulsa Tech offers some of the nation’s best technical training.
There are plenty more options to continue education in northeast Oklahoma. The Higher Ed Forum links local high schools to colleges through academic service learning projects, internships career exploration and experiential learning. Find schools, education resources and job placement information at FinishForGreaterTulsa.com. For information about financial aid, visit the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education website. What about on-the-job learning? For internship opportunities, visit InternInTulsa.com.
Tulsa Achieves pays 100% of tuition and fees at Tulsa Community College for qualifying Tulsa County high school grads.