Best test-optional colleges in Texas
Colleges that don't require the SAT or ACT for admission, ranked by Compass Score.
Best test-optional colleges in Texas65 schools
65 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.
- Admission test policy: considered but not required, or neither required nor recommended (federal admissions 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
- SAT or ACT not required
- 95% graduate
- 2
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX · PublicHonor Roll#2 in Texas
- SAT or ACT not required
- 89% graduate
- 3
Trinity University
San Antonio, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#3 in Texas
- SAT or ACT not required
- 84% graduate
- 4
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#4 in Texas
- SAT or ACT not required
- 84% graduate
- 5
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#5 in Texas
- SAT or ACT not required
- 86% graduate
- 6
Texas A&M University-College Station
College Station, TX · PublicHonor Roll#6 in Texas
- SAT or ACT not required
- 84% graduate
- 7
- 8
The University of Texas at Dallas
Richardson, TX · Public#8 in Texas
- SAT or ACT not required
- 76% graduate
- 9
Southwestern University
Georgetown, TX · Private nonprofit#11 in Texas
- SAT or ACT not required
- 73% graduate
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
LeTourneau University
Longview, TX · Private nonprofit#17 in Texas
- SAT or ACT not required
- 59% graduate
- 14
- 15
Hallmark University
San Antonio, TX · Private nonprofit#19 in Texas
- SAT or ACT not required
- 66% graduate
- 16
Abilene Christian University
Abilene, TX · Private nonprofit#20 in Texas
- SAT or ACT not required
- 59% graduate
- 17
University of St. Thomas
Houston, TX · Private nonprofitTop 22% for graduation
- SAT or ACT not required
- 69% graduate
- 18
Saint Edward's University
Austin, TX · Private nonprofit#22 in Texas
- SAT or ACT not required
- 63% graduate
- 19
- 20
- 21
The University of Texas at Tyler
Tyler, TX · PublicTop 24% for low debt
- SAT or ACT not required
- 54% graduate
- 22
St. Mary's University
San Antonio, TX · Private nonprofit#29 in Texas
- SAT or ACT not required
- 59% graduate
- 23
The University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, TX · PublicTop 23% for earnings
- SAT or ACT not required
- 54% graduate
- 24
The University of Texas at San Antonio
San Antonio, TX · PublicTop 17% for low net price
- SAT or ACT not required
- 53% 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% |
| 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% |
| 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% |
| Criswell College | $21,630 | $25,346 | $43,185 | 50% |
| The University of Texas at Tyler | $13,323 | $17,137 | $57,053 | 54% |
| St. Mary's University | $21,145 | $25,563 | $56,955 | 59% |
| The University of Texas at Arlington | $13,951 | $17,527 | $63,199 | 54% |
| The University of Texas at San Antonio | $10,836 | $20,500 | $57,131 | 53% |
| University of Houston-Clear Lake | $15,563 | $17,831 | $59,004 | 52% |
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 23
- Arizona 12
- Arkansas 10
- California 100
- Colorado 16
- Connecticut 18
- Delaware 3
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 35
- Georgia 42
- Hawaii 5
- Idaho 6
- Illinois 56
- Indiana 40
- Iowa 29
- Kansas 24
- Kentucky 25
- Louisiana 21
- Maine 15
- Maryland 25
- Massachusetts 59
- Michigan 40
- Minnesota 35
- Mississippi 10
- Missouri 42
- Montana 7
- Nebraska 14
- Nevada 5
- New Hampshire 11
- New Jersey 33
- New Mexico 5
- New York 125
- North Carolina 54
- North Dakota 7
- Ohio 68
- Oklahoma 14
- Oregon 21
- Pennsylvania 113
- Puerto Rico 32
- Rhode Island 11
- South Carolina 30
- South Dakota 10
- Tennessee 28
- Utah 8
- Vermont 9
- Virginia 43
- Washington 20
- West Virginia 13
- Wisconsin 34