Best Southwestern Colleges
There are 76 ranked four-year colleges in the Southwest, evaluated with the same methodology used for our national rankings. Only nonprofit, selective four-year schools are included.
Leading our 2027 rankings is Rice University in Houston, Texas, topping our list in the Southwest. The top rated public university is The University of Texas at Austin. Also highly ranked: Trinity University, Southern Methodist University and The University of Texas at Austin.
Compare tuition, acceptance rates, and enrollment across the colleges below. See how rankings are calculated on our methodology page. Explore the regional list below or browse individual states.
McMurry University
- 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.
- SAT Range 950-1160
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 57%
- Net Price $20,723
Midwestern State University
- 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.
- SAT Range 910-1100
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.2
- Acceptance Rate 94%
- Net Price $11,215
Stephen F Austin State University
- 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.
- SAT Range 970-1170
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.26
- Acceptance Rate 94%
- Net Price $14,959
Oklahoma Christian University
- 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.
- SAT Range 1010-1270
- Avg GPA 3.62
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $22,391
East Texas A&M University
- 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.
- SAT Range 910-1150
- Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 92%
- Net Price $12,327
Tarleton State University
- 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.
- SAT Range 980-1160
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.21
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $16,159
Southeastern Oklahoma State University
- 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.
- SAT Range 980-1186
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $9,075
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
- 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.
- SAT Range 880-1090
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.16
- Acceptance Rate 94%
- Net Price $5,282
The University of Texas at San Antonio
- 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.
- SAT Range 1000-1220
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $10,959
Angelo State University
- 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.
- SAT Range 910-1150
- Avg GPA 3.71
- Acceptance Rate 83%
- Net Price $14,048
Lamar University
- 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.
- SAT Range 930-1140
- Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $9,814
University of Houston Downtown
- 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.
- SAT Range 940-1110
- Avg GPA 3.29
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $10,832
Concordia University Texas
- 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.
- SAT Range 860-1100
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $24,723
Arizona Christian University
- 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.
- SAT Range 960-1170
- Avg GPA 3.16
- Acceptance Rate 71%
- Net Price $32,514
Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus
- 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.
- SAT Range 830-1060
- Avg GPA 3.23
- Acceptance Rate 92%
- Net Price $6,416
Nelson University
- 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.
- SAT Range 890-1090
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.19
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $22,359
Prairie View A & M University
- 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.
- SAT Range 860-1080
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 79%
- Net Price $14,448
Texas Southern University
- 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.
- SAT Range 800-1000
- Avg GPA 3.0
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $13,584