Which university has smaller undergraduate class sizes, UT Austin or Case Western Reserve?

Case Western Reserve generally has smaller undergraduate class sizes than UT Austin, including in many introductory courses. Case Western’s much smaller undergraduate population and lower student-to-faculty ratio support a more intimate classroom environment. At UT Austin, large foundational courses, particularly in high-demand majors such as business, computer science, engineering, and natural sciences, are more likely to be taught in sizable lecture sections.

UT Austin offers many small upper-level seminars, honors courses, and major-specific classes, but its public-university scale means introductory requirements often enroll hundreds of students. The experience can vary sharply by college and major: a student in a smaller program may find close faculty contact, while a student taking broad gateway courses may spend the first year in larger sections.

For a student who prioritizes consistently manageable classes from the beginning, Case Western has the clearer advantage. At either school, check the course schedule for your intended major and look at actual section enrollments for first-year requirements, since that will be more revealing than an institution-wide average.