Top Rated Southwest Public Colleges
These are the top ranked public four-year colleges in the Southwest as ranked by CollegeSimply. Leading the rankings for 2027 as the best public college in the Southwest is The University of Texas at Austin. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.
The University of Texas Permian Basin
- Public 4 Year
- Odessa, TX
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| 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.
- SAT Range 910-1130
- Avg GPA 3.27
- Acceptance Rate 95%
- Net Price $13,563
Texas A & M University Corpus Christi
- Public 4 Year
- Corpus Christi, TX
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| 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.
- SAT Range 970-1193
- Avg GPA 3.41
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $15,233
Texas A & M International University
- Public 4 Year
- Laredo, TX
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| 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.
- SAT Range 890-1090
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 44%
- Net Price $5,644
West Texas A & M University
- Public 4 Year
- Canyon, TX
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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.
- SAT Range 950-1170
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $15,572
Texas Woman's University
- Public 4 Year
- Denton, TX
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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.
- SAT Range 930-1140
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $11,636
Northwestern Oklahoma State University
- Public 4 Year
- Alva, OK
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| 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.
- SAT Range 803-1036
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 65%
- Net Price $10,492
East Central University
- Public 4 Year
- Ada, OK
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| 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.
- SAT Range 900-1120
- Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 58%
- Net Price $8,565
Texas A&M University Kingsville
- Public 4 Year
- Kingsville, TX
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| 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.
- SAT Range 990-1110
- Avg GPA 3.45
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $12,812
Midwestern State University
- Public 4 Year
- Wichita Falls, TX
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| 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
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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
East Texas A&M University
- Public 4 Year
- Commerce, TX
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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
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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
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| 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
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| 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
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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
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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
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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
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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