Best colleges in Texas

Dreams Are Bigger Here

Best burritos, religious football, and happy employees

Texas is not lacking in self-esteem. From huge barbecue platters to ten-gallon hats, this Southern state is loud, proud, and a wonderful place to indulge in university life. Texas is home to 36 different public universities, as well as a multitude of private colleges. The state has also played host to a women’s university since 1901, which also happens to be the largest nursing doctoral program in the nation.* With a 5.2% unemployment rate, chances are good you’ll find a start to your career after graduation. With diplomas in hand, many new graduates go on to work in hospitals, technology centers, and a variety of other fields. And they’re happy doing it, as Texas ranked 7th in the country for happiness at work.* Local job opportunities include Blue Bell Creameries, Bartlett Electric Cooperative, and the OpenSpirit Corporation.*

On your downtime, take in some great country music, go to a football game, or test your taste limits on the state’s countless hot sauces. In Dallas, the Lakewood Yacht Club is home to great lunch items and a full service bar attracting people of all kinds. Tap into your science side at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. Go back in time for an education at the Alamo, Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, or the USS Lexington. Finally, join in with the “biggest” football state in the country and battle it out between Cowboys and Texans fans. You’ll be sure to make some big memories and a big impact here in the Lone Star State.

Click Here to See the Best Colleges in the US*Bureau of Labor Statistics *Wikipedia, “List of colleges and universities in Texas”, “List of Companies based in Texas” *www.traveltex.com *www.alternet.org

Best Four Year Universities in Texas

Rice University
Houston, TX

Rice University is a private institution in Houston, Texas that has a total undergraduate enrollment of about 7,000 students. The university has a 300-acre campus that abuts the Houston Zoo and Texas Medical Center. Students take classes that follow a semester-based academic calendar, and the university provides merit and need-based scholarships to most students. 

Rice has a rich academic history including the Cao Center for Asian Studies, the Boniuk Institute, and the Ken Kennedy Institute of Information Technology. Students at Rice can explore Houston’s Museum District, walk along Hermann Park, and take advantage of Houston’s METRORail system which is just across from the main campus. 

Many students benefit from Rice’s small classes and 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The university also provides students with over 360 undergraduate and graduate degree options in over 60 academic departments. Outside of the classroom, students interested in media and journalism can participate in a variety of student-led organizations like The Rice Thresher, The Campanile, and KTRU Rice Radio. Notable alumni include pilot Howard Hughes, writer Joyce Carol Oates, and American investor John Doerr.

Trinity University
San Antonio, TX

Trinity University offers 72 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 675 students graduated with students earning 576 Bachelor's degrees, and 99 Master's degrees.

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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.

Texas Christian University offers 188 degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 3,110 students graduated with students earning 2,362 Bachelor's degrees, 492 Master's degrees, 200 Doctoral degrees, and 56 Certificates.

Southern Methodist University offers 261 degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2023, 3,980 students graduated with students earning 1,870 Master's degrees, 1,680 Bachelor's degrees, 360 Doctoral degrees, and 70 Certificates.

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Texas A & M University-College Station offers 589 degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2023, 19,710 students graduated with students earning 13,240 Bachelor's degrees, 4,242 Master's degrees, 1,481 Doctoral degrees, and 747 Certificates.

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.

Austin College
Sherman, TX

Austin College offers 50 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2023, 300 students graduated with students earning 285 Bachelor's degrees, and 15 Master's degrees.

Baylor University offers 231 degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2023, 5,519 students graduated with students earning 3,409 Bachelor's degrees, 1,313 Master's degrees, 715 Doctoral degrees, and 82 Certificates.

The University of Texas at Dallas offers 177 degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2023, 9,409 students graduated with students earning 5,146 Bachelor's degrees, 3,648 Master's degrees, 355 Certificates, and 260 Doctoral degrees.

Best Community Colleges in Texas

Houston International College Cardiotech Ultrasound School offers 2 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city.

School of Automotive Machinists & Technology offers 5 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2023, 70 students graduated with students earning 64 Certificates, and 6 Associate's degrees.

Rio Grande Valley College offers 11 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a small city. In 2023, 278 students graduated with students earning 235 Certificates, and 43 Associate's degrees.

The College of Health Care Professions-McAllen Campus offers 8 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a midsize city. In 2023, 522 students graduated with students earning 464 Certificates, and 58 Associate's degrees.

Vet Tech Institute of Houston offers 1 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2023, 134 students graduated with students earning 134 Associate's degrees.

Lincoln College of Technology-Grand Prairie offers 8 degree programs. It's a small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2023, 796 students graduated with students earning 794 Certificates, and 2 Associate's degrees.

KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic Arts offers 3 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2023, 54 students graduated with students earning 54 Associate's degrees.

The College of Health Care Professions-South San Antonio offers 5 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2023, 286 students graduated with students earning 253 Certificates, and 33 Associate's degrees.

Remington College-North Houston Campus offers 8 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2023, 32 students graduated with students earning 20 Certificates, and 12 Associate's degrees.

Universal Technical Institute-Dallas Fort Worth offers 3 degree programs. It's a small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2023, 1,040 students graduated with students earning 669 Associate's degrees, and 371 Certificates.

List of all colleges in Texas

School Average Tuition Student Teacher Ratio Enrolled Students
Rice University Logo Rice University Houston, TX
5/5
11 : 1 8,556
Trinity University Logo Trinity University San Antonio, TX
5/5
10 : 1 2,694
Houston International College Cardiotech Ultrasound School Logo Houston International College Cardiotech Ultrasound School Houston, TX
3/5
5 : 1 41
The University of Texas at Austin Logo The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX
3/5
19 : 1 53,082
Texas Christian University Logo Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX
5/5
18 : 1 12,785