The Top 50 Best Colleges in the US is College Raptor’s most prestigious rankings list. Updated annually, these schools are celebrated for their rich histories, stunning campuses, excellent academics, and vibrant student life. The institutions on this list are known for both academic excellence and impressive extracurricular opportunities, making them “dream schools” for students around the world. Use these rankings as a jumping-off point for you to create your own personalized rankings using our college match tool.
Each of these rankings is based on an analysis of data about the school’s selectivity, financial health, graduation rates, student success, and more. We’ve outlined our full methodology here.
| Rank | Institution | Undergraduates | Acceptance Rate | SAT Score | Your Est. Net Price Avg. Net Price | Median Starting Salary | Save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rice University | 4789 | 8 | 1,510 – 1,570 | 20587 | 79751 |
#1
Rice University
|
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin | 43165 | 26.64 | 1,230 – 1,500 | 18036 | 60896 |
#2
The University of Texas at Austin
|
| 3 | Southern Methodist University | 7285 | 63.35 | 1,360 – 1,500 | 45792 | 65556 |
#3
Southern Methodist University
|
| 4 | Trinity University | 2518 | 25.92 | 1,330 – 1,490 | 32264 | 55224 |
#4
Trinity University
|
| 5 | Texas Christian University | 11049 | 44.49 | 1,190 – 1,380 | 39005 | 60435 |
#5
Texas Christian University
|
| 6 | Baylor University | 14915 | 51.28 | 1,180 – 1,380 | 49727 | 56532 |
Baylor University
|
| 7 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 60710 | 57.32 | 1,170 – 1,400 | 21610 | 59386 |
Texas A&M University-College Station
|
| 8 | Southwestern University | 1440 | 43.05 | 1,160 – 1,320 | 30687 | 49249 |
Southwestern University
|
| 9 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 21858 | 65.13 | 1,170 – 1,420 | 13464 | 57249 |
The University of Texas at Dallas
|
| 10 | University of Dallas | 1444 | 53.44 | 1,120 – 1,360 | 31221 | 45950 |
University of Dallas
|
| 11 | Austin College | 1167 | 47.65 | 1,110 – 1,320 | 24777 | 45242 |
Austin College
|
| 12 | LeTourneau University | 3184 | 38.01 | 1,030 – 1,350 | 27007 | 51058 |
LeTourneau University
|
| 13 | Saint Edward's University | 2731 | 83.69 | 1,040 – 1,230 | 28351 | 47743 |
#13
Saint Edward's University
|
| 14 | University of Houston | 39257 | 73.92 | 1,160 – 1,340 | 13738 | 52768 | |
| 15 | Abilene Christian University | 3233 | 66.04 | 1,010 – 1,250 | 28311 | 46727 | |
| 16 | Texas Tech University | 32580 | 72.65 | 1,110 – 1,290 | 16773 | 52588 |
Texas Tech University
|
| 17 | University of North Texas | 34458 | 72.23 | 990 – 1,240 | 14675 | 46304 |
University of North Texas
|
| 18 | St. Mary's University | 2150 | 97.76 | 890 – 1,310 | 20562 | 44130 |
St. Mary's University
|
| 19 | University of St Thomas | 3395 | 89.93 | 960 – 1,200 | 20469 | 49971 |
University of St Thomas
|
| 20 | Southwestern Assemblies of God University | 1413 | 84.23 | 960 – 1,130 | 19834 | 37425 |
Southwestern Assemblies of God University
|
| 21 | University of the Incarnate Word | 4638 | 98.13 | 920 – 1,150 | 21246 | 47625 |
University of the Incarnate Word
|
| 22 | Texas State University | 36268 | 89.08 | 990 – 1,210 | 15307 | 46716 |
Texas State University
|
| 23 | Dallas Baptist University | 2785 | 88.84 | 980 – 1,230 | 30275 | 45138 |
Dallas Baptist University
|
| 24 | Sam Houston State University | 17787 | 90.26 | 930 – 1,130 | 14556 | 45337 |
#24
Sam Houston State University
|
| 25 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 31127 | 86.79 | 1,010 – 1,220 | 10831 | 46340 |
The University of Texas at San Antonio
|
| 26 | The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary | 351 | 52.75 | 1,050 – 1,260 | 11654 | 63721 | |
| 27 | Schreiner University | 1062 | 87.95 | 970 – 1,170 | 21786 | 45527 |
Schreiner University
|
| 28 | Texas Lutheran University | 1319 | 95.71 | 1,040 – 1,240 | 23600 | 48125 |
Texas Lutheran University
|
| 29 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 2803 | 95.76 | 990 – 1,220 | 29904 | 48368 |
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
|
| 30 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | 6029 | 83.4 | 990 – 1,170 | 10488 | 52098 |
University of Houston-Clear Lake
|
| 31 | Criswell College | 118 | 91.67 | 1,090 – 1,150 | 11464 | 42026 |
Criswell College
|
| 32 | Stephen F Austin State University | 9129 | 74.45 | 970 – 1,150 | 15498 | 43144 |
Stephen F Austin State University
|
| 33 | Southwest University at El Paso | 1817 | 0 | -- | 17365 | 29611 | |
| 34 | Hardin-Simmons University | 1283 | 96.53 | 970 – 1,190 | 21321 | 44392 |
Hardin-Simmons University
|
| 35 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 28674 | 94.01 | 870 – 1,090 | 6978 | 35812 |
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
|
| 36 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 31112 | 81.29 | 1,020 – 1,240 | 14956 | 60902 |
The University of Texas at Arlington
|
| 37 | Tarleton State University | 15130 | 52.56 | -- | 15363 | 46729 |
Tarleton State University
|
| 38 | East Texas Baptist University | 1634 | 57.76 | 930 – 1,120 | 24388 | 41759 |
East Texas Baptist University
|
| 39 | Lubbock Christian University | 1322 | 75.89 | 950 – 1,190 | 25351 | 46464 |
Lubbock Christian University
|
| 40 | Angelo State University | 9779 | 83.01 | 940 – 1,170 | 12518 | 41050 |
Angelo State University
|
| 41 | Texas A&M International University | 7004 | 45.96 | 890 – 1,080 | 3833 | 37327 |
Texas A&M International University
|
| 42 | The University of Texas at Tyler | 7683 | 94.02 | 1,020 – 1,220 | 14043 | 49355 |
The University of Texas at Tyler
|
| 43 | Houston Christian University | 2899 | 84.58 | 990 – 1,190 | 20530 | 44595 |
Houston Christian University
|
| 44 | Texas Woman's University | 10034 | 96.13 | 950 – 1,160 | 10763 | 48773 |
Texas Woman's University
|
| 45 | West Texas A & M University | 6930 | 58.63 | 960 – 1,160 | 17182 | 44399 |
#45
West Texas A & M University
|
| 46 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 20609 | 99.9 | 880 – 1,100 | 10333 | 37978 |
The University of Texas at El Paso
|
| 47 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 3018 | 93.86 | 800 – 1,040 | 9109 | 51716 |
University of North Texas at Dallas
|
| 48 | Southwestern Adventist University | 813 | 55.52 | 940 – 1,180 | 20198 | 43643 |
Southwestern Adventist University
|
| 49 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | 5187 | 92.29 | 900 – 1,110 | 10474 | 44882 |
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
|
| 50 | Prairie View A & M University | 8056 | 74.41 | 870 – 1,040 | 14065 | 36350 | |
| 51 | Midwestern State University | 4508 | 87.38 | 950 – 1,160 | 11798 | 46637 |
Midwestern State University
|
| 52 | Texas A&M University-Commerce | 9666 | 74.98 | 930 – 1,150 | 11902 | 43157 |
Texas A&M University-Commerce
|
| 53 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 1147 | 72.46 | 880 – 1,100 | 17961 | 41195 |
Our Lady of the Lake University
|
| 54 | Howard Payne University | 768 | 67.69 | 920 – 1,130 | 25768 | 38212 |
Howard Payne University
|
| 55 | Hallmark University | 407 | 100 | -- | 10153 | 46666 | |
| 56 | Concordia University Texas | 1391 | 91.06 | 1,010 – 1,210 | 23621 | 48058 |
Concordia University Texas
|
| 57 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | 4218 | 93.07 | 910 – 1,130 | 10143 | 50020 |
The University of Texas Permian Basin
|
| 58 | McMurry University | 3167 | 57.04 | 960 – 1,170 | 20817 | 38647 |
McMurry University
|
| 59 | Texas Wesleyan University | 1910 | 62.39 | 970 – 1,120 | 21169 | 44773 |
Texas Wesleyan University
|
| 60 | Lamar University | 8206 | 85.7 | 940 – 1,150 | 10999 | 47077 |
Lamar University
|
| 61 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 8320 | 88.58 | 950 – 1,200 | 14991 | 42933 |
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
|
| 62 | Remington College-Dallas Campus | 208 | 50.99 | -- | 27674 | 26884 | |
| 63 | Texas A&M University-Texarkana | 1760 | 80.14 | 940 – 1,190 | 13320 | 41785 |
Texas A&M University-Texarkana
|
| 64 | University of Houston-Downtown | 12622 | 89.96 | 890 – 1,080 | 14269 | 49120 |
#64
University of Houston-Downtown
|
| 65 | Huston-Tillotson University | 982 | 67.69 | 830 – 1,020 | 19638 | 38342 |
Huston-Tillotson University
|
| 66 | Sul Ross State University | 1441 | 95.62 | 900 – 1,100 | 12240 | 34340 |
Sul Ross State University
|
| 67 | University of Houston-Victoria | 2707 | 76.71 | 850 – 1,010 | 9912 | 44888 |
#67
University of Houston-Victoria
|
| 68 | Texas Southern University | 6619 | 93.35 | 830 – 1,010 | 15021 | 32986 |
Texas Southern University
|
| 69 | Wayland Baptist University | 2087 | 55.96 | 840 – 1,010 | 20222 | 44159 |
Wayland Baptist University
|
| 70 | Paul Quinn College | 600 | 33.81 | 760 – 970 | 18118 | 27021 |
Paul Quinn College
|
| 71 | Jarvis Christian University | 730 | 93.36 | 760 – 930 | 10674 | 27077 |
Jarvis Christian University
|
| 72 | The King's University | 272 | 100 | 870 – 1,130 | 23878 | 30883 | |
| 73 | North American University | 609 | 22.7 | -- | 13702 | 32221 |
North American University
|
| 74 | Dallas Christian College | 278 | 84.03 | 800 – 1,080 | 22463 | 39868 |
#74
Dallas Christian College
|
| 75 | Texas College | 644 | 42.6 | -- | 10901 | 27901 |
Texas College
|
| 76 | South Texas College | 26440 | 0 | -- | 1414 | 28239 | |
| 77 | Arlington Baptist University | 268 | 79.23 | -- | 26503 | 32206 |
Arlington Baptist University
|
| 78 | College of Biblical Studies-Houston | 482 | 89.93 | -- | 14684 | 33366 |
College of Biblical Studies-Houston
|
| 79 | Wiley University | 636 | 97.35 | -- | 10290 | 28078 |
Wiley University
|
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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