Best colleges in Austin

Keep Austin Weird

Only the Musically Inclined, Foodies of the world need apply

College-life, finger-licking cuisines, hike-and-bike trails, and live music cause many people to flock to Austin and never leave. The 11th most populous city in the U.S. and the 4th most populous city in the state of Texas is home to 15 private 4-year institutions. With 39 schools in all, nearly 45% of Austinites have a bachelor's degree or higher. Companies like IBM Corp, AT&T, Seton Family of Hospitals, and Luminex are settled in the area making Austin a promising city for technology, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology students.

Ranked No. 1 on Forbes' 2014 ranking of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S, relocating seems like a no brainer. Its 3,000+ local eats, swimming holes, music festivals –including the SXSW and the Austin City Limits Music Festival— and of course, good ole American football keep the college students applying. With more than 250 live music venues, you can expect to hear music everywhere in Austin – from the grocery stores to the city council meetings. Austin also has some really unique tourist attractions such as their Cathedral of Junk and Baylor Street Art Wall. Pack a bag and a big appetite, and get ready for some fun in the LoneStar State.

Click Here to See the Best Colleges in the US*National Center for Education Statistics *forbes.com *www.austintexas.org/visit/music-scene/ *U.S. Census *www.taglineguru.com

Best Four Year Universities in Austin

The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) is a public research university founded in 1883 in Austin, Texas with an undergraduate enrollment of roughly 50,000. UT Austin is a hub in Texas for academic research and consists of nationally renowned facilities including the LBJ Presidential Library and the Blanton Museum of Art. 

The university is in an urban setting with a campus located just north of the Colorado River in downtown Austin, with classes operating according to a semester-based academic calendar. The current student-faculty ratio at UT is 18:1, among the lowest in the UT system. UT Austin is made up of 18 colleges including the Cockrell School of Engineering, Moody College of Communication, and the Dell Medical School. Prospective applicants should note that the University of Texas at Austin’s tuition and fees for in-state students are about a quarter the cost of those for out-of-state students. 

UT Austin’s infrastructure on campus consists of seven museums, seventeen libraries, and an elaborate underground tunnel system that covers over six miles. In the athletic forum, the Texas Longhorn teams compete in the BIG-12 and enjoy regional football rivalry with Oklahoma, and locally with Texas Tech and Texas A&M. Notable alumni include actor Matthew McConaughey, film director Wes Anderson, and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Southwestern University
Georgetown, TX

Southwestern University offers 38 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2023, 394 students graduated with students earning 394 Bachelor's degrees.

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Saint Edward's University offers 89 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 909 students graduated with students earning 648 Bachelor's degrees, 249 Master's degrees, and 12 Doctoral degrees.

Concordia University Texas offers 41 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 674 students graduated with students earning 499 Bachelor's degrees, 164 Master's degrees, and 11 Doctoral degrees.

Huston-Tillotson University offers 21 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 194 students graduated with students earning 145 Bachelor's degrees, 39 Associate's degrees, and 10 Master's degrees.

Strayer University-Texas
Farmers Branch, TX

Strayer University-Texas offers 70 degree programs. It's a small, private for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2023, 471 students graduated with students earning 244 Bachelor's degrees, 129 Associate's degrees, 72 Master's degrees, and 26 Certificates.

South University-Austin
Round Rock, TX

South University-Austin offers 27 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2023, 82 students graduated with students earning 53 Bachelor's degrees, 23 Associate's degrees, and 6 Master's degrees.

Texas Health and Science University offers 3 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 44 students graduated with students earning 29 Master's degrees, and 15 Bachelor's degrees.

Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary offers 5 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 42 students graduated with students earning 34 Master's degrees, and 8 Doctoral degrees.

Austin Community College District offers 233 degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 4,738 students graduated with students earning 4,239 Associate's degrees, 422 Certificates, and 77 Bachelor's degrees.

Best Community Colleges in Austin

Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Austin offers 4 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2023, 197 students graduated with students earning 197 Associate's degrees.

The College of Health Care Professions-Austin offers 8 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2023, 434 students graduated with students earning 362 Certificates, and 72 Associate's degrees.

Riverland Community College offers 136 degree programs. It's a small, public, two-year college in a faraway town. In 2023, 595 students graduated with students earning 379 Associate's degrees, and 216 Certificates.

Southern Careers Institute-Austin offers 22 degree programs. It's a small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2023, 231 students graduated with students earning 211 Certificates, and 20 Associate's degrees.

List of all colleges in Austin

School Average Tuition Student Teacher Ratio Enrolled Students
The University of Texas at Austin Logo The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX
3/5
19 : 1 53,082
Southwestern University Logo Southwestern University Georgetown, TX
5/5
12 : 1 1,457
Saint Edward's University Logo Saint Edward's University Austin, TX
5/5
20 : 1 3,309
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Austin Logo Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Austin Austin, TX   31 : 1 372
CyberTex Institute of Technology Logo CyberTex Institute of Technology Austin, TX     195