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.

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Southwest Public Private For-Profit 4 Year 2 Year

List of the Best Southwest Colleges

Texas State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • San Marcos, TX
  • 3.8 | 9 reviews
  • Jun 1 application deadline

Texas State is a large public university known for undergraduate geography, education, and mass communication. The campus in the college town of San Marcos sits along the spring-fed San Marcos River.

#37 Best Colleges in the Southwest 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 980-1200
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.38
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $15,716
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University of the Incarnate Word Campus

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  • Private 4 Year
  • San Antonio, TX
  • | 0 reviews

UIW is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and the health sciences. The urban campus is in San Antonio.

#38 Best Colleges in the Southwest 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 900-1140
  • Avg GPA 3.5
  • Acceptance Rate 98%
  • Net Price $23,363
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University of Mary Hardin Baylor Campus

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  • Private 4 Year
  • Belton, TX
  • | 0 reviews

Mary Hardin-Baylor is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The residential campus is in Belton in Central Texas.

#39 Best Colleges in the Southwest 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 960-1200
  • Avg GPA 3.53
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $27,651
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New Mexico State University Main Campus Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Las Cruces, NM
  • | 0 reviews

New Mexico State is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture and engineering. The main campus lies in Las Cruces near the Organ Mountains.

#40 Best Colleges in the Southwest 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 870-1110
  • Avg GPA 3.55
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $10,719
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Sam Houston State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Huntsville, TX
  • 4.5 | 2 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Sam Houston State is a large public university known for undergraduate criminal justice and forensic science. The main campus is in Huntsville in the piney woods of East Texas.

#41 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1120
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.25
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $14,737
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University of Central Oklahoma Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Edmond, OK
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews

UCO is a public university known for undergraduate forensic science and teacher education. The suburban campus sits in Edmond just north of Oklahoma City.

#42 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.5
  • Acceptance Rate 78%
  • Net Price $18,660
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The University of Texas Permian Basin Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Odessa, TX
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 23 application deadline

UT Permian Basin is a public university known for undergraduate petroleum engineering and business. The campus is located in Odessa in West Texas's Permian Basin.

#43 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 910-1130
  • Avg GPA 3.27
  • Acceptance Rate 95%
  • Net Price $13,563
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Texas A & M University Corpus Christi Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Corpus Christi, TX
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 1 application deadline

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is a public university known for undergraduate marine science, coastal biology, and environmental science. The campus sits on Ward Island along Corpus Christi Bay.

#44 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1193
  • Avg GPA 3.41
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $15,233
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Texas Wesleyan University Campus

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  • Private 4 Year
  • Fort Worth, TX
  • 3.0 | 1 reviews

Texas Wesleyan is a private Methodist university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The historic campus sits in Fort Worth's Polytechnic Heights neighborhood.

#45 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1020-1100
  • Avg GPA 3.35
  • Acceptance Rate 69%
  • Net Price $26,416
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Texas A & M International University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Laredo, TX
  • | 0 reviews

Texas A&M International is a public university known for undergraduate international business and nursing. Its campus is in Laredo on the U.S.-Mexico border.

#46 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 890-1090
  • Avg GPA 3.7
  • Acceptance Rate 44%
  • Net Price $5,644
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Houston Christian University Campus

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  • Private 4 Year
  • Houston, TX
  • 1.0 | 1 reviews

Houston Christian is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The campus is in southwest Houston.

#47 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1190
  • Avg GPA 3.46
  • Acceptance Rate 84%
  • Net Price $21,282
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West Texas A & M University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Canyon, TX
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

West Texas A&M is a public university known for undergraduate agriculture, nursing, and business. The campus is in Canyon, a small college town in the Texas Panhandle.

#48 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 950-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.61
  • Acceptance Rate 99%
  • Net Price $15,572
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Texas Woman's University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Denton, TX
  • 4.7 | 3 reviews

TWU is a public university primarily for women, known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and education. The main campus is in Denton, a college town north of Dallas-Fort Worth.

#49 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1140
  • Avg GPA 3.24
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $11,636
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Northwestern Oklahoma State University Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Alva, OK
  • | 0 reviews

Northwestern Oklahoma State is a small public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and business. The residential campus sits in the small college town of Alva in northwestern Oklahoma.

#50 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 803-1036
  • Avg GPA 3.42
  • Acceptance Rate 65%
  • Net Price $10,492
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East Central University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Ada, OK
  • | 0 reviews

East Central is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and nursing. The campus is in the small city of Ada in south-central Oklahoma.

#51 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 900-1120
  • Avg GPA 3.31
  • Acceptance Rate 58%
  • Net Price $8,565
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Texas A&M University Kingsville Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Kingsville, TX
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Texas A&M-Kingsville is a public university known for undergraduate petroleum engineering, agriculture, and wildlife science. Students attend a campus in the small South Texas city of Kingsville.

#52 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1110
  • Avg GPA 3.45
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $12,812
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Oral Roberts University Campus

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  • Private 4 Year
  • Tulsa, OK
  • 3.3 | 3 reviews

Oral Roberts is a private Christian university known for undergraduate ministry, nursing, and business. The Tulsa campus centers on the Prayer Tower and a distinctive modernist architectural style.

#53 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1120-1310
  • Avg GPA 3.5
  • Acceptance Rate 99%
  • Net Price $25,808
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Schreiner University Campus

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  • Private 4 Year
  • Kerrville, TX
  • | 0 reviews

Schreiner is a small private university with undergraduate programs in nursing and education. The campus sits in Kerrville in the Texas Hill Country.

#54 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1160
  • Avg GPA 3.3
  • Acceptance Rate 88%
  • Net Price $22,884
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