State Rankings

Best Colleges in Texas

Top colleges in Texas ranked by national standing and graduate outcomes — updated 2026.

Colleges listed: 50

Avg grad earnings: $55,764

Public / Private: 31 / 19

Top Colleges in Texas

Nationally ranked schools appear first. Remaining schools are ordered by median graduate earnings.

State #	School	Type	Grad Earnings	Admit Rate	SAT Avg	Grad Rate	Out-of-State
1	Rice University Houston#4 national	Private	$89,718	7.9%	1,553	95.7%	$58,128
2	UT Austin Austin#30 national	Public	$75,121	29.1%	1,380	87.6%	$42,778
3	Texas A&M University College Station#62 national	Public	$72,097	63.2%	1,272	83.8%	$40,328
4	Trinity University San Antonio#98 national	Private	$71,668	28.2%	1,407	81.9%	$51,352
5	Southern Methodist University Dallas#103 national	Private	$78,354	61.2%	1,424	83.3%	$64,460
6	Texas Christian University Fort Worth#138 national	Private	$68,424	42.6%	1,303	85.6%	$57,220
7	The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson#141 national	Public	$68,227	65.5%	1,300	70.8%	$40,064
8	University of Houston Houston#159 national	Public	$62,377	69.5%	1,229	64.9%	$22,191
9	Baylor University Waco#217 national	Private	$65,793	51.0%	1,313	80.2%	$54,844
10	Texas Tech University Lubbock#272 national	Public	$62,454	70.9%	1,182	67.5%	$24,451
11	Southwestern University Georgetown#365 national	Private	$56,878	39.1%	1,269	69.3%	$51,058
12	University of Dallas Irving#373 national	Private	$58,285	54.2%	1,284	68.0%	$50,880
13	Austin College Sherman#407 national	Private	$61,296	46.7%	1,272	69.5%	$46,500
14	University of North Texas Denton#449 national	Public	$57,010	72.5%	1,109	59.6%	$21,244
15	The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington#502 national	Public	$63,199	81.3%	1,116	56.5%	$29,660
16	LeTourneau University Longview#519 national	Private	$57,103	40.7%	1,262	61.1%	$35,500
17	Saint Edward's University Austin#534 national	Private	$58,826	83.7%	1,135	64.2%	$51,384
18	University of Houston-Clear Lake Houston#565 national	Public	$59,004	75.3%	1,105	50.8%	$21,330
19	University of St Thomas Houston#580 national	Private	$59,224	93.3%	1,204	68.6%	$33,660
20	Abilene Christian University Abilene#597 national	Private	$55,736	63.9%	1,189	60.2%	$42,380
21	The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio#649 national	Public	$57,131	88.5%	1,102	51.2%	$21,965
22	Texas A & M International University Laredo#660 national	Public	$48,386	46.0%	1,008	48.9%	$19,382
23	Texas State University San Marcos#699 national	Public	$56,906	89.5%	1,093	56.2%	$23,210
24	The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg#833 national	Public	$49,620	84.8%	1,020	49.3%	$19,939
25	Sam Houston State University Huntsville#844 national	Public	$54,211	85.4%	1,055	55.1%	$19,020
26	St. Mary's University San Antonio#864 national	Private	$56,955	88.9%	989	58.8%	$36,242
27	Alvin Community College Alvin#901 national	Public	$45,762	N/A	N/A	N/A	$4,330
28	The University of Texas at Tyler Tyler#927 national	Public	$57,053	91.5%	1,113	46.8%	$25,198
29	Brazosport College Lake Jackson#957 national	Public	$45,910	N/A	N/A	38.7%	$4,711
30	North Central Texas College Gainesville#977 national	Public	$45,809	N/A	N/A	N/A	$7,200
31	Wharton County Junior College Wharton#1001 national	Public	$44,960	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,568
32	Tarrant County College District Fort Worth#1024 national	Public	$42,727	N/A	N/A	N/A	$8,235
33	Northwest Vista College San Antonio#1028 national	Public	$42,490	N/A	N/A	N/A	$14,422
34	Texas Woman's University Denton#1067 national	Public	$56,544	95.0%	N/A	44.2%	$18,720
35	Victoria College Victoria#1092 national	Public	$42,382	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,256
36	University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio#1108 national	Private	$56,733	93.4%	1,042	51.8%	$35,660
37	The University of Texas Permian Basin Odessa#1128 national	Public	$56,073	84.5%	1,031	43.0%	$23,212
38	Dallas Baptist University Dallas#1165 national	Private	$56,807	91.1%	1,109	60.4%	$38,140
39	Lee College Baytown#1176 national	Public	$42,178	N/A	N/A	N/A	$4,302
40	Amarillo College Amarillo#1180 national	Public	$41,302	N/A	N/A	N/A	$4,704
41	Texas Southmost College Brownsville#1197 national	Public	$41,900	N/A	N/A	N/A	$4,948
42	Houston Christian University Houston#1200 national	Private	$55,933	85.2%	1,092	49.8%	$38,100
43	The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso#1256 national	Public	$50,923	99.9%	982	46.0%	$25,512
44	Lubbock Christian University Lubbock#1263 national	Private	$53,787	73.2%	1,086	48.7%	$27,298
45	McLennan Community College Waco#1264 national	Public	$39,163	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,910
46	East Texas Baptist University Marshall#1275 national	Private	$52,788	60.1%	N/A	48.0%	$30,050
47	South Plains College Levelland#1285 national	Public	$41,276	N/A	N/A	N/A	$4,837
48	Abilene Christian University-Undergraduate Online Addison#1304 national	Private	$55,736	100.0%	N/A	N/A	$14,520
49	Stephen F Austin State University Nacogdoches#1314 national	Public	$49,634	88.3%	1,074	51.7%	$20,680
50	Blinn College District Brenham#1315 national	Public	$46,318	N/A	N/A	N/A	$11,030

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Excludes for-profit institutions.

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