2024 Best Colleges in the Southwest Region
283
Colleges
$62,782
Avg Salary*
59%
Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*
It's not easy to decide which college to attend when you have so many options available. College Factual has developed its Top Southwest Region Colleges ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Our analysis looked at 283 schools in the Southwest Region to determine which ones were the best in terms of overall quality. Our ranking is based on over 20 objective factors, including post graduate earnings, freshman retention, and graduation rate. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another.
Get more details on our ranking methodology.
Custom Rankings
Since one ranking on its own is not enough to give you a complete understanding of your educational options, you can refine this list by location and field of study. We've also developed a number of other tools and rankings based on other factors. These other rankings highlight colleges that excel in other factors such as value or diversity as well as schools that excel in serving different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering!
Top Colleges in the Southwest Region
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Rice University tops this year’s ranking as the best school in the Southwest Region for overall quality. Rice is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 2,500 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 84%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Rice make an average of $77,683 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Rice University
A rank of #2 on our Best Colleges in the Southwest Region list means The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. UTHealth is located in Houston, Texas and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,743 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The impressive student-to-faculty rate of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UTHealth go into careers with an average salary of $78,163 during the early years of their career.
Full The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Report
Out of the 283 schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center landed the #3 spot on the list. TTUHSC is a medium-sized public school situated in Lubbock, Texas. It awarded 2,373 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from TTUHSC go into careers with an average salary of $78,778 during the early years of their career.
Full Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Report
A rank of #4 on our Best Colleges in the Southwest Region list means The University of Texas Medical Branch is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Galveston, Texas, the small public school handed out 1,235 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UTMB Galveston make an average of $77,627 per year during the early years of their career.
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The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at The University of Texas at Austin helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in the Southwest Region . Located in Austin, Texas, the large public school handed out 17,613 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. During the early years of their career, graduates from UT Austin make an average of $67,839 a year.
Full The University of Texas at Austin Report
With a ranking of #6, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Southwest Region list. UT Health San Antonio is located in San Antonio, Texas and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,353 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 5 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UT Health San Antonio is $69,397 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Texas A&M University - College Station did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #7. Texas A&M College Station is a large public school situated in College Station, Texas. It awarded 19,908 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M College Station go into careers with an average salary of $66,566 during the early years of their career.
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Midwestern University - Glendale did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #8.Glendale, Arizona is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,189 students in 2020-2021.
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Baylor College of Medicine landed the #9 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Southwest Region ranking. Baylor College of Medicine is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 369 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Baylor College of Medicine Report
Dallas Theological Seminary came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the Southwest Region ranking. DTS Dallas is located in Dallas, Texas and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 441 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
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Southern Methodist University landed the #11 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in Dallas, Texas, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 4,258 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 2.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from SMU go into careers with an average salary of $72,514 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Southern Methodist University
Texas Christian University landed the #12 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Southwest Region ranking. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Fort Worth, Texas, and it awarded 3,058 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 2.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from TCU make an average of $61,325 a year.
Full Texas Christian University Report
With a ranking of #13, University of North Texas Health Science Center did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Southwest Region list. Located in Fort Worth, Texas, the small public school handed out 820 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
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University of Oklahoma - Health Sciences Center came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the Southwest Region ranking. UOHSC is located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,138 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $57,071 during the early years of their career..
Full University of Oklahoma - Health Sciences Center Report
Lee College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the Southwest Region ranking. Lee College is a medium-sized public school situated in Baytown, Texas. It awarded 3,684 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $37,624 during the early years of their career..
Full Lee College Report
With a ranking of #16, West Coast University - Dallas did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Southwest Region list. This small private for-profit school is located in Richardson, Texas, and it awarded 384 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from West Coast University - Dallas make an average of $97,371 a year.
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University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the Southwest Region ranking. UT Southwestern is a small public school situated in Dallas, Texas. It awarded 628 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 0.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UT Southwestern go into careers with an average salary of $69,599 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
University of Phoenix - Arizona ranked #18 on this year’s Best Colleges in the Southwest Region list. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, the large private for-profit school awarded 29,877 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UOPX - Arizona make an average of $39,382 per year during the early years of their career.
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With a ranking of #19, Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Southwest Region list. Arizona State University - Tempe is a large public school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 21,156 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from ASU - Tempe go into careers with an average salary of $55,749 during the early years of their career.
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With a ranking of #20, Baylor University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Southwest Region list. Baylor is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Waco, Texas. It awarded 5,321 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Baylor is $60,512 during the early years of their career.
Full Baylor University Report
University of Arizona landed the #21 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Southwest Region ranking. University of Arizona is a public institution located in Tucson, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 11,808 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $55,205 during the early years of their career..
Full University of Arizona Report
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #22. This large public school is located in Norman, Oklahoma, and it awarded 7,438 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. During the early years of their career, graduates from University of Oklahoma make an average of $57,071 a year.
Full University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Report
Texas State Technical College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Colleges in the Southwest Region list. Located in Waco, Texas, the fairly large public school awarded 2,789 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from TSTC make an average of $35,542 per year during the early years of their career.
Full Texas State Technical College Report
With a ranking of #24, Texas Tech University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Southwest Region list. Texas Tech is located in Lubbock, Texas and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9,710 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The low student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech is $58,435 during the early years of their career.
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With a ranking of #25, Parker University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Southwest Region list. Parker University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Dallas, Texas that handed out 493 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $44,974 during the early years of their career..
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