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

McMurry University Campus

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  • Private 4 Year
  • Abilene, TX
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Aug 15 application deadline

McMurry is a private university known for undergraduate business, education, and nursing. The residential campus in Abilene is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.

#55 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 950-1160
  • Avg GPA 3.7
  • Acceptance Rate 57%
  • Net Price $20,723
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Midwestern State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Wichita Falls, TX
  • | 0 reviews

Midwestern State is a public liberal arts university known for undergraduate nursing and business. The campus sits in the city of Wichita Falls in North Texas.

#56 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 910-1100
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.2
  • Acceptance Rate 94%
  • Net Price $11,215
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Stephen F Austin State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Nacogdoches, TX
  • 3.8 | 8 reviews

SFA is a public university known for undergraduate forestry, education, and nursing. The residential campus sits in the historic East Texas college town of Nacogdoches.

#57 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1170
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.26
  • Acceptance Rate 94%
  • Net Price $14,959
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Oklahoma Christian University Campus

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  • Private 4 Year
  • Edmond, OK
  • | 0 reviews

Oklahoma Christian is a private university affiliated with the Churches of Christ and known for undergraduate engineering, nursing, and business. The campus is in the Oklahoma City suburb of Edmond.

#58 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1270
  • Avg GPA 3.62
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $22,391
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East Texas A&M University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Commerce, TX
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Aug 15 application deadline

East Texas A&M is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, business, and agricultural sciences. The residential campus sits in the small college town of Commerce in Northeast Texas.

#59 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 910-1150
  • Avg GPA 3.36
  • Acceptance Rate 92%
  • Net Price $12,327
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Tarleton State University Campus

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

Tarleton State is a public university known for undergraduate agriculture, animal science, and nursing. The main campus anchors the college town of Stephenville in north-central Texas.

#60 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 980-1160
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.21
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $16,159
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Southeastern Oklahoma State University Campus

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

Southeastern Oklahoma State is a public university known for undergraduate education and aviation. The small-city campus in Durant lies near the Oklahoma-Texas border.

#61 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 980-1186
  • Avg GPA 3.53
  • Acceptance Rate 76%
  • Net Price $9,075
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The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Campus

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

UTRGV is a large public university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and engineering. Campuses span the Rio Grande Valley near the U.S.-Mexico border.

#62 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1090
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.16
  • Acceptance Rate 94%
  • Net Price $5,282
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The University of Texas at San Antonio Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • San Antonio, TX
  • 4.5 | 2 reviews
  • Jun 1 application deadline

UTSA is a large public university known for undergraduate cybersecurity and business. The main campus sits in northwest San Antonio near the Texas Hill Country.

#63 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1000-1220
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.36
  • Acceptance Rate 87%
  • Net Price $10,959
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Angelo State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • San Angelo, TX
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews

Angelo State is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and agriculture. The campus is in the West Texas city of San Angelo.

#64 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 910-1150
  • Avg GPA 3.71
  • Acceptance Rate 83%
  • Net Price $14,048
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Lamar University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Beaumont, TX
  • 1.7 | 3 reviews

Lamar is a public university known for undergraduate engineering and nursing. The campus is located in Beaumont in southeast Texas.

#65 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1140
  • Avg GPA 3.4
  • Acceptance Rate 86%
  • Net Price $9,814
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University of Houston Downtown Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Houston, TX
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jun 1 application deadline

UHD is a public university known for undergraduate business and criminal justice. The urban campus sits in downtown Houston near the city's business district.

#66 Best Colleges in the Southwest
  • SAT Range 940-1110
  • Avg GPA 3.29
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $10,832
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Concordia University Texas Campus

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  • Private 4 Year
  • Austin, TX
  • 4.0 | 2 reviews

Concordia Texas is a private Lutheran university with undergraduate programs in nursing, business, and education. The campus is in northwest Austin.

#67 Best Colleges in the Southwest 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 860-1100
  • Avg GPA 3.3
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $24,723
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Arizona Christian University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Glendale, AZ
  • | 0 reviews

Arizona Christian is a private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies and education. The suburban campus sits in Glendale in the Phoenix metro area.

#68 Best Colleges in the Southwest 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 960-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.16
  • Acceptance Rate 71%
  • Net Price $32,514
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Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Portales, NM
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Aug 24 application deadline

ENMU is a public university known for undergraduate aviation and teacher education. The campus is in the small college town of Portales on New Mexico's eastern plains.

#69 Best Colleges in the Southwest 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 830-1060
  • Avg GPA 3.23
  • Acceptance Rate 92%
  • Net Price $6,416
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Nelson University Campus

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

Nelson is a private Assemblies of God university known for undergraduate ministry and education programs. The campus is in Waxahachie, a small city south of Dallas.

#70 Best Colleges in the Southwest 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 890-1090
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.19
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $22,359
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Prairie View A & M University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Prairie View, TX
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • Mar 1 application deadline

Prairie View A&M is a public HBCU known for undergraduate engineering, nursing, and agriculture. The small-town campus sits northwest of Houston in Prairie View.

#71 Best Colleges in the Southwest 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 860-1080
  • Avg GPA 3.3
  • Acceptance Rate 79%
  • Net Price $14,448
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Texas Southern University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Houston, TX
  • 3.0 | 3 reviews
  • Jul 15 application deadline

Texas Southern is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate pharmacy, business, and criminal justice. The urban campus is located in Houston's Third Ward.

#72 Best Colleges in the Southwest 2/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 800-1000
  • Avg GPA 3.0
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $13,584
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