Best colleges in Texas
Every accredited four-year college ranked by the Compass Score: outcomes, entering students, cost and teaching, from federal data.
Best colleges in Texas85 schools
85 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.
- 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
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 95% graduate
- 2
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX · PublicHonor Roll#2 in Texas
- Value grade A- · Top 12%
- 89% graduate
- 3
Trinity University
San Antonio, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#3 in Texas
- Value grade B+ · Top 32%
- 84% graduate
- 4
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#4 in Texas
- Value grade C+
- 84% graduate
- 5
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#5 in Texas
- Value grade C+
- 86% graduate
- 6
Texas A&M University-College Station
College Station, TX · PublicHonor Roll#6 in Texas
- Value grade A- · Top 14%
- 84% graduate
- 7
- 8
The University of Texas at Dallas
Richardson, TX · Public#8 in Texas
- Value grade A · Top 10%
- 76% graduate
- 9
- 10
Galen College of Nursing-San Antonio
San Antonio, TX · Private for-profitTop 10% for graduation
- Value grade B-
- 81% graduate
- 11Tie
- 11Tie
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
University of St. Thomas
Houston, TX · Private nonprofitTop 22% for graduation
- Value grade B+ · Top 29%
- 69% graduate
- 22
- 23
- 24
Southwest University at El Paso
El Paso, TX · Private for-profit#24 in Texas
- Value grade C+
- 59% graduate
- 25
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice University | $13,370 | $11,000 | $89,718 | 95% |
| The University of Texas at Austin | $19,857 | $20,500 | $75,121 | 89% |
| Trinity University | $23,464 | $22,954 | $71,668 | 84% |
| Southern Methodist University | $40,892 | $19,500 | $78,354 | 84% |
| Texas Christian University | $36,660 | $21,500 | $68,424 | 86% |
| Texas A&M University-College Station | $21,315 | $17,804 | $72,097 | 84% |
| Baylor University | $41,104 | $23,000 | $65,793 | 80% |
| The University of Texas at Dallas | $18,267 | $18,000 | $68,227 | 76% |
| Western Technical College | $28,004 | $17,277 | $36,156 | 72% |
| Galen College of Nursing-San Antonio | $29,104 | $24,166 | $61,480 | 81% |
| Parker University | $29,135 | $12,288 | $42,091 | 74% |
| Southwestern University | $29,224 | $25,000 | $56,878 | 73% |
| University of Dallas | $22,610 | $23,117 | $58,285 | 73% |
| Austin College | $21,107 | $24,500 | $61,296 | 67% |
| Wade College | $20,778 | $22,938 | $36,657 | 54% |
| University of Houston | $14,276 | $18,194 | $62,377 | 65% |
| LeTourneau University | $28,185 | $26,000 | $57,103 | 59% |
| Texas Tech University | $19,070 | $21,500 | $62,454 | 69% |
| Hallmark University | $12,513 | $25,438 | $40,183 | 66% |
| Abilene Christian University | $26,182 | $24,250 | $55,736 | 59% |
| University of St. Thomas | $19,359 | $19,928 | $59,224 | 69% |
| Saint Edward's University | $25,578 | $24,803 | $58,826 | 63% |
| University of North Texas | $15,649 | $19,250 | $57,010 | 61% |
| Southwest University at El Paso | $16,906 | $20,000 | $29,648 | 59% |
| Criswell College | $21,630 | $25,346 | $43,185 | 50% |
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 26
- Alaska 5
- Arizona 16
- Arkansas 23
- California 128
- Colorado 26
- Connecticut 26
- Delaware 4
- District of Columbia 9
- Florida 61
- Georgia 60
- Hawaii 6
- Idaho 9
- Illinois 57
- Indiana 45
- Iowa 30
- Kansas 27
- Kentucky 29
- Louisiana 24
- Maine 19
- Maryland 26
- Massachusetts 67
- Michigan 44
- Minnesota 40
- Mississippi 16
- Missouri 53
- Montana 10
- Nebraska 19
- Nevada 6
- New Hampshire 13
- New Jersey 36
- New Mexico 11
- New York 135
- North Carolina 55
- North Dakota 9
- Ohio 99
- Oklahoma 23
- Oregon 21
- Pennsylvania 118
- Puerto Rico 52
- Rhode Island 11
- South Carolina 35
- South Dakota 11
- Tennessee 43
- Utah 16
- Vermont 9
- Virginia 51
- Washington 24
- West Virginia 19
- Wisconsin 36
- Wyoming 3