There’s no place quite like the Permian Basin—a wild, untouched beauty dotted with pockets of modern development. Rugged meets West Texas chic.

We love our endless blue skies, but we know that West Texas is so much more than a picture-perfect sunset. The Permian Basin is home to kind, hard-working, optimistic people who have never met a stranger.

If you’re looking to create your own future, this is where you belong. 

About the Basin

A “basin” is a simple geological term for a dip or depression in the earth’s surface—usually caused by erosion aboveground and earthquakes deep underneath.

Stretching from eastern New Mexico and covering most of West Texas (Lubbock to the north, the Rio Grande Valley to the south), the Permian Basin is actually a collection of smaller basins. But in all, the Permian Basin covers 75,000 square miles—making it one of the larger basins in North America.

But that’s geology. From the layperson’s perspective, the Permian Basin is actually a stunning stretch of American land with a unique beauty all its own. You feel like you can actually see the earth meet the sky in the distance.

The Permian Basin has something for everyone.

Odessa & Midland: Urban Country

For generations, people from around the world have made their way to West Texas seeking freedom, adventure, and fortune in the oil fields. The cities they built have grown upward and outward, creating modern urban centers dotted across the Permian Basin—including the two that UTPB calls home.

Home of UT Permian Basin’s main campus, Odessa is one of the largest cities in West Texas. A diverse city with a rich history dating back to the 1880s, Odessa has undergone major transformations over the last two decades. Not long ago, Forbes Magazine ranked Odessa as one of the fastest-growing small cities in the United States.

And just 15 minutes down I-20 sits Midland. UTPB’s Midland campus houses our music and engineering schools and the Center for Energy and Economic Diversification. As the home to former President George H. W. Bush and major global corporations—like Chevron and Concho—Odessa offers a depth of prestige and opportunity that few cities like it can match.

Every day, the culture of these special cities grows deeper.

Sitting Atop the Future of Energy

At the beginning of the 21st century, the Permian Basin—which had once been the source of vast oil supplies—seemed to be fading in importance.

But new technologies revealed just the opposite: There was more petroleum trapped in the ground beneath the Permian Basin than anyone could’ve guessed. Thanks to advancements in energy exploration, the Permian Basin was quickly named the largest oil reserve on the planet. Our backyard is expected to fuel the American and global economies for at least the next two decades.

With this discovery, our neck of the woods has seen an explosion in economic activity. Because, as more and more energy is sourced, other industries have appeared alongside it—including business and finance, healthcare, education, construction, digital technology, transportation, and public sector jobs.

In other words, the latest “oil boom” has spurred a larger “economic boom” that is already paying major dividends to the students and professionals who are seizing this once-in-a-generation opportunity.

The Academic Heart of West Texas

We aren’t bragging when we call UT Permian Basin the “academic heart of West Texas.” But we sure are proud of the work we get to do every day.

Because every day, we get to help some of the world’s finest students tap into their passions and plan their lucrative careers. We get to deliver a modern education at an affordable cost. And we get to innovative ways to deliver the most complete, diverse, and downright fun college experience anywhere.

We hope you’ll join us.