Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in Texas
Colleges that compete in NCAA Division I athletics, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in Texas26 schools
26 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Texas.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Competes in NCAA Division I (the school's athletics association, from federal and association data).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Rice University
Houston, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Texas
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 95% graduate
- 2
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX · PublicHonor Roll#2 in Texas
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 89% graduate
- 3
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#4 in Texas
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 84% graduate
- 4
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#5 in Texas
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 86% graduate
- 5
Texas A&M University-College Station
College Station, TX · PublicHonor Roll#6 in Texas
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 84% graduate
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Abilene Christian University
Abilene, TX · Private nonprofit#20 in Texas
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 59% graduate
- 10
- 11
- 12
The University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, TX · PublicTop 23% for earnings
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 54% graduate
- 13
The University of Texas at San Antonio
San Antonio, TX · PublicTop 17% for low net price
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 53% graduate
- 14
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg, TX · PublicTop 4% for low net price
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 51% graduate
- 15
Dallas Baptist University
Dallas, TX · Private nonprofit#36 in Texas
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 57% graduate
- 16
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX · Public#39 in Texas
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 55% graduate
- 17
Stephen F Austin State University
Nacogdoches, TX · Public#41 in Texas
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 53% graduate
- 18
The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX · PublicTop 14% for low net price
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 50% graduate
- 19
Houston Christian University
Houston, TX · Private nonprofit#48 in Texas
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 49% graduate
- 20
- 21
University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX · Private nonprofit#50 in Texas
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 51% graduate
- 22
East Texas A&M University
Commerce, TX · PublicTop 21% for low net price
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 43% graduate
- 23
Prairie View A & M University
Prairie View, TX · Public#67 in Texas
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 43% graduate
- 24
- 25
Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, TX · Public#74 in Texas
- NCAA Division I athletics
- 40% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice University | About $13,000 | $11,000 | $89,718 | 95% |
| The University of Texas at Austin | About $20,000 | $20,500 | $75,121 | 89% |
| Southern Methodist University | About $41,000 | $19,500 | $78,354 | 84% |
| Texas Christian University | About $37,000 | $21,500 | $68,424 | 86% |
| Texas A&M University-College Station | About $21,000 | $17,804 | $72,097 | 84% |
| Baylor University | About $41,000 | $23,000 | $65,793 | 80% |
| University of Houston | About $14,000 | $18,194 | $62,377 | 65% |
| Texas Tech University | About $19,000 | $21,500 | $62,454 | 69% |
| Abilene Christian University | About $26,000 | $24,250 | $55,736 | 59% |
| University of North Texas | About $16,000 | $19,250 | $57,010 | 61% |
| Texas State University | About $17,000 | $21,000 | $56,906 | 55% |
| The University of Texas at Arlington | About $14,000 | $17,527 | $63,199 | 54% |
| The University of Texas at San Antonio | About $11,000 | $20,500 | $57,131 | 53% |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | About $5,000 | $12,950 | $49,620 | 51% |
| Dallas Baptist University | About $29,000 | $21,591 | $56,807 | 57% |
| Sam Houston State University | About $16,000 | $21,983 | $54,211 | 55% |
| Stephen F Austin State University | About $14,000 | $23,409 | $49,634 | 53% |
| The University of Texas at El Paso | About $9,000 | $18,000 | $50,923 | 50% |
| Houston Christian University | About $21,000 | $22,642 | $55,933 | 49% |
| Tarleton State University | About $21,000 | $19,606 | $53,040 | 48% |
| University of the Incarnate Word | About $23,000 | $27,000 | $56,733 | 51% |
| East Texas A&M University | About $12,000 | $20,500 | $50,296 | 43% |
| Prairie View A & M University | About $14,000 | $27,000 | $45,411 | 43% |
| Lamar University | About $9,000 | $21,250 | $49,652 | 37% |
| Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | About $15,000 | $23,000 | $51,865 | 40% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 10
- Arizona 5
- Arkansas 5
- California 26
- Colorado 5
- Connecticut 6
- District of Columbia 4
- Florida 14
- Georgia 6
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 13
- Indiana 11
- Iowa 4
- Kansas 3
- Kentucky 8
- Louisiana 12
- Maryland 9
- Massachusetts 9
- Michigan 7
- Mississippi 6
- Missouri 6
- Nebraska 3
- New Jersey 8
- New York 23
- North Carolina 19
- Ohio 13
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 4
- Pennsylvania 15
- Rhode Island 4
- South Carolina 12
- Tennessee 12
- Utah 7
- Virginia 14
- Washington 5
- Wisconsin 4