The Best Southwestern Small Colleges
These are the top ranked small, public and private, four-year colleges in the Southwest as ranked by CollegeSimply. These schools all have undergraduate enrollment under 3,000. Small colleges allow students a more intimate and personalized experience where it's more likely you will get to know your professors. Leading the list for 2027 is Trinity University. Learn how the Best Small Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.
Trinity University
- Private 4 Year
- San Antonio, TX
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| 0 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Trinity is a private university known for undergraduate business, communication, and the sciences. Most students live on a residential hilltop campus overlooking downtown San Antonio.
- SAT Range 1340-1500
- Avg GPA 3.68
- Acceptance Rate 26%
- Net Price $32,224
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
- Public 4 Year
- Socorro, NM
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| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
New Mexico Tech is a small public technological university known for undergraduate engineering, earth sciences, and physics. The campus is in the small town of Socorro in central New Mexico.
- SAT Range 1080-1310
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.63
- Acceptance Rate 44%
- Net Price $11,551
Southwestern University
- Private 4 Year
- Georgetown, TX
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4.5 | 2 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Southwestern is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate study in the arts and sciences. Most students live on the residential campus in historic Georgetown, north of Austin.
- SAT Range 1130-1300
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 43%
- Net Price $32,228
Austin College
- Private 4 Year
- Sherman, TX
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| 0 reviews
- Jul 31 application deadline
Austin College is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate sciences and international studies. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in Sherman, north of Dallas.
- SAT Range 1100-1310
- Avg GPA 3.63
- Acceptance Rate 48%
- Net Price $23,462
University of Dallas
- Private 4 Year
- Irving, TX
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4.2 | 5 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
University of Dallas is a private Catholic university known for a Great Books core curriculum and undergraduate work in philosophy, politics, and the humanities. The suburban campus sits in Irving just outside Dallas.
- SAT Range 1120-1370
- Avg GPA 3.9
- Acceptance Rate 53%
- Net Price $29,209
Oklahoma City University
- Private 4 Year
- Oklahoma City, OK
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| 0 reviews
Oklahoma City University is a private university known for undergraduate dance, music, and theater. The urban campus is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.
- SAT Range 1050-1260
- Avg GPA 3.77
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $24,051
Wayland Baptist University
- Private 4 Year
- Plainview, TX
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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
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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
Texas Lutheran University
- Private 4 Year
- Seguin, TX
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| 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
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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
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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
Texas Wesleyan University
- Private 4 Year
- Fort Worth, TX
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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.
- SAT Range 1020-1100
- Avg GPA 3.35
- Acceptance Rate 69%
- Net Price $26,416
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
Schreiner University
- Private 4 Year
- Kerrville, TX
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| 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.
- SAT Range 970-1160
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $22,884
Oklahoma Christian University
- Private 4 Year
- Edmond, OK
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| 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
Concordia University Texas
- Private 4 Year
- Austin, TX
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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
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| 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
Nelson University
- Private 4 Year
- Waxahachie, TX
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| 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