Best Southwestern Colleges
There are 261 colleges and universities in the Southwest enrolling 2,348,034 students. Explore the list of top colleges in the Southwest below to begin your college search. The CollegeSimply rankings are objective and data-driven in order to help you find good matches for you. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page. Whether you're searching for a good public, private or community college, this guide to universities in Southwest offers a comprehensive view to the state's higher education options.
The Southwest is home to nationally ranked institutions like Rice University, Trinity University, Southern Methodist University and The University of Texas at Austin. The highest ranked college in the Southwest is Rice University and the top rated public state college is The University of Texas at Austin.
List of the Best Southwest Colleges
Saint Edward's University
- Private 4 Year
- Austin, TX
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
Saint Edward's is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate liberal arts, business, and education. The hilltop campus in South Austin overlooks the downtown skyline.
- SAT Range 970-1240
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $28,766
Arizona State University
- Public 4 Year
- Tempe, AZ
-
3.8 | 5 reviews
ASU is a large public university known for undergraduate journalism, business, and sustainability. The Tempe campus sits in the Phoenix metro area.
- SAT Range 1100-1320
- Avg GPA 3.54
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $17,779
Oklahoma State University Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Stillwater, OK
-
3.0 | 1 reviews
Oklahoma State is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, engineering, and business. Stillwater is a classic college town built around the campus.
- SAT Range 1040-1250
- Avg GPA 3.63
- Acceptance Rate 75%
- Net Price $19,561
Abilene Christian University
- Private 4 Year
- Abilene, TX
-
3.7 | 6 reviews
- Feb 15 application deadline
ACU is a private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies, nursing, and business. Most undergrads live on its residential campus in Abilene, a city in West Texas.
- SAT Range 1070-1270
- Avg GPA 3.65
- Acceptance Rate 66%
- Net Price $28,760
Texas Tech University
- Public 4 Year
- Lubbock, TX
-
3.9 | 10 reviews
Texas Tech is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, agriculture, and business. The Lubbock campus is marked by Spanish Renaissance architecture on the South Plains of West Texas.
- SAT Range 1090-1280
- Avg GPA 3.76
- Acceptance Rate 73%
- Net Price $16,919
University of Houston
- Public 4 Year
- Houston, TX
-
4.0 | 7 reviews
- May 31 application deadline
University of Houston is a large public university known for undergraduate hospitality management, business, and engineering. The urban campus sits in southeast Houston.
- SAT Range 1160-1340
- Avg GPA 3.46
- Acceptance Rate 74%
- Net Price $14,309
St. Mary's University
- Private 4 Year
- San Antonio, TX
-
| 0 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
St. Mary's is a private Marianist Catholic university known for undergraduate business and criminal justice. The urban campus sits on San Antonio's near West Side.
- SAT Range 900-1310
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 98%
- Net Price $20,412
The University of Texas at Tyler
- Public 4 Year
- Tyler, TX
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Aug 24 application deadline
UT Tyler is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and engineering. The campus is in the East Texas city of Tyler.
- SAT Range 1010-1200
- Avg GPA 3.44
- Acceptance Rate 94%
- Net Price $14,476
Dallas Baptist University
- Private 4 Year
- Dallas, TX
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
Dallas Baptist is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate business, education, and biblical studies. The hilltop campus overlooks Mountain Creek Lake in southwest Dallas.
- SAT Range 960-1213
- Avg GPA 3.46
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $30,057
Wayland Baptist University
- Private 4 Year
- Plainview, TX
-
2.5 | 2 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Wayland Baptist is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate education, business, and Christian studies. The campus is in the small city of Plainview on the Texas High Plains.
- SAT Range 900-1090
- Avg GPA 3.14
- Acceptance Rate 56%
- Net Price $20,446
Lubbock Christian University
- Private 4 Year
- Lubbock, TX
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jun 1 application deadline
Lubbock Christian is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The residential campus in Lubbock is affiliated with the Churches of Christ.
- SAT Range 950-1190
- Avg GPA 3.71
- Acceptance Rate 73%
- Net Price $24,544
University of St Thomas
- Private 4 Year
- Houston, TX
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
University of St. Thomas is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and the liberal arts. The urban campus sits in Houston's Museum District.
- SAT Range 980-1210
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $20,599
Texas Lutheran University
- Private 4 Year
- Seguin, TX
-
| 0 reviews
Texas Lutheran is a private Lutheran university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The residential campus is in Seguin, a small city northeast of San Antonio.
- SAT Range 1030-1230
- Avg GPA 3.9
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $25,119
Hardin Simmons University
- Private 4 Year
- Abilene, TX
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
Hardin-Simmons is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate nursing, music, and education. The residential campus is located in Abilene in West Texas.
- SAT Range 1010-1190
- Avg GPA 3.43
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $19,811
Oklahoma Baptist University
- Private 4 Year
- Shawnee, OK
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
Oklahoma Baptist is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and music. The residential campus sits in the smaller city of Shawnee east of Oklahoma City.
- SAT Range 1070-1240
- Avg GPA 3.68
- Acceptance Rate 49%
- Net Price $23,839
University of North Texas
- Public 4 Year
- Denton, TX
-
4.3 | 3 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
UNT is a large public university known for undergraduate music and jazz studies. Denton is a college town north of the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
- SAT Range 980-1230
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.46
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $15,965
University of New Mexico Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Albuquerque, NM
-
| 0 reviews
UNM is a large public university known for undergraduate Latin American studies, anthropology, and photography. The urban Albuquerque campus features Pueblo Revival architecture.
- SAT Range 890-1170
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 95%
- Net Price $6,347
The University of Texas at Arlington
- Public 4 Year
- Arlington, TX
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
- Jun 1 application deadline
UT Arlington is a large public university known for undergraduate nursing, engineering, and architecture. The suburban campus sits in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex between the two cities.
- SAT Range 1010-1240
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.43
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $13,755