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 | Trinity University | 2518 | 25.92 | 1,330 – 1,490 | 32264 | 55224 |
Trinity University
|
| 4 | Southern Methodist University | 7285 | 63.35 | 1,360 – 1,500 | 45792 | 65556 |
Southern Methodist 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 |
#6
Baylor University
|
| 7 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 21858 | 65.13 | 1,170 – 1,420 | 13464 | 57249 |
#7
The University of Texas at Dallas
|
| 8 | Southwestern University | 1440 | 43.05 | 1,160 – 1,320 | 30687 | 49249 |
#8
Southwestern University
|
| 9 | Austin College | 1167 | 47.65 | 1,110 – 1,320 | 24777 | 45242 |
#9
Austin College
|
| 10 | University of Dallas | 1444 | 53.44 | 1,120 – 1,360 | 31221 | 45950 |
#10
University of Dallas
|
| 11 | Texas Tech University | 32580 | 72.65 | 1,110 – 1,290 | 16773 | 52588 |
Texas Tech University
|
| 12 | Saint Edward's University | 2731 | 83.69 | 1,040 – 1,230 | 28351 | 47743 |
Saint Edward's University
|
| 13 | Criswell College | 118 | 91.67 | 1,090 – 1,150 | 11464 | 42026 |
Criswell College
|
| 14 | LeTourneau University | 3184 | 38.01 | 1,030 – 1,350 | 27007 | 51058 |
LeTourneau University
|
| 15 | St. Mary's University | 2150 | 97.76 | 890 – 1,310 | 20562 | 44130 |
St. Mary's University
|
| 16 | University of St Thomas | 3395 | 89.93 | 960 – 1,200 | 20469 | 49971 |
University of St Thomas
|
| 17 | University of North Texas | 34458 | 72.23 | 990 – 1,240 | 14675 | 46304 |
University of North Texas
|
| 18 | Texas State University | 36268 | 89.08 | 990 – 1,210 | 15307 | 46716 |
Texas State University
|
| 19 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | 6029 | 83.4 | 990 – 1,170 | 10488 | 52098 |
University of Houston-Clear Lake
|
| 20 | Sam Houston State University | 17787 | 90.26 | 930 – 1,130 | 14556 | 45337 |
Sam Houston State University
|
| 21 | University of the Incarnate Word | 4638 | 98.13 | 920 – 1,150 | 21246 | 47625 |
University of the Incarnate Word
|
| 22 | Dallas Baptist University | 2785 | 88.84 | 980 – 1,230 | 30275 | 45138 |
Dallas Baptist University
|
| 23 | Stephen F Austin State University | 9129 | 74.45 | 970 – 1,150 | 15498 | 43144 |
#23
Stephen F Austin State University
|
| 24 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 31127 | 86.79 | 1,010 – 1,220 | 10831 | 46340 |
The University of Texas at San Antonio
|
| 25 | The University of Texas at Tyler | 7683 | 94.02 | 1,020 – 1,220 | 14043 | 49355 |
The University of Texas at Tyler
|
| 26 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 28674 | 94.01 | 870 – 1,090 | 6978 | 35812 |
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
|
| 27 | West Texas A & M University | 6930 | 58.63 | 960 – 1,160 | 17182 | 44399 |
West Texas A & M University
|
| 28 | Southwestern Assemblies of God University | 1413 | 84.23 | 960 – 1,130 | 19834 | 37425 |
Southwestern Assemblies of God University
|
| 29 | East Texas Baptist University | 1634 | 57.76 | 930 – 1,120 | 24388 | 41759 |
East Texas Baptist University
|
| 30 | Hardin-Simmons University | 1283 | 96.53 | 970 – 1,190 | 21321 | 44392 |
Hardin-Simmons University
|
| 31 | Texas Lutheran University | 1319 | 95.71 | 1,040 – 1,240 | 23600 | 48125 |
Texas Lutheran University
|
| 32 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 31112 | 81.29 | 1,020 – 1,240 | 14956 | 60902 |
The University of Texas at Arlington
|
| 33 | Texas Woman's University | 10034 | 96.13 | 950 – 1,160 | 10763 | 48773 |
Texas Woman's University
|
| 34 | Lubbock Christian University | 1322 | 75.89 | 950 – 1,190 | 25351 | 46464 |
Lubbock Christian University
|
| 35 | Angelo State University | 9779 | 83.01 | 940 – 1,170 | 12518 | 41050 |
Angelo State University
|
| 36 | Midwestern State University | 4508 | 87.38 | 950 – 1,160 | 11798 | 46637 |
Midwestern State University
|
| 37 | Southwestern Adventist University | 813 | 55.52 | 940 – 1,180 | 20198 | 43643 |
Southwestern Adventist University
|
| 38 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 3018 | 93.86 | 800 – 1,040 | 9109 | 51716 |
#38
University of North Texas at Dallas
|
| 39 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 20609 | 99.9 | 880 – 1,100 | 10333 | 37978 |
The University of Texas at El Paso
|
| 40 | Texas A&M International University | 7004 | 45.96 | 890 – 1,080 | 3833 | 37327 |
Texas A&M International University
|
| 41 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 2803 | 95.76 | 990 – 1,220 | 29904 | 48368 |
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
|
| 42 | Houston Christian University | 2899 | 84.58 | 990 – 1,190 | 20530 | 44595 |
Houston Christian University
|
| 43 | Schreiner University | 1062 | 87.95 | 970 – 1,170 | 21786 | 45527 |
#43
Schreiner University
|
| 44 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | 5187 | 92.29 | 900 – 1,110 | 10474 | 44882 |
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
|
| 45 | Texas A&M University-Commerce | 9666 | 74.98 | 930 – 1,150 | 11902 | 43157 |
Texas A&M University-Commerce
|
| 46 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 60710 | 57.32 | 1,170 – 1,400 | 21610 | 59386 |
Texas A&M University-College Station
|
| 47 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | 4218 | 93.07 | 910 – 1,130 | 10143 | 50020 |
The University of Texas Permian Basin
|
| 48 | Concordia University Texas | 1391 | 91.06 | 1,010 – 1,210 | 23621 | 48058 |
#48
Concordia University Texas
|
| 49 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 8320 | 88.58 | 950 – 1,200 | 14991 | 42933 |
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
|
| 50 | Sul Ross State University | 1441 | 95.62 | 900 – 1,100 | 12240 | 34340 |
Sul Ross State University
|
| 51 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 1147 | 72.46 | 880 – 1,100 | 17961 | 41195 |
Our Lady of the Lake University
|
| 52 | McMurry University | 3167 | 57.04 | 960 – 1,170 | 20817 | 38647 |
McMurry University
|
| 53 | University of Houston-Downtown | 12622 | 89.96 | 890 – 1,080 | 14269 | 49120 |
University of Houston-Downtown
|
| 54 | Lamar University | 8206 | 85.7 | 940 – 1,150 | 10999 | 47077 |
Lamar University
|
| 55 | Texas Southern University | 6619 | 93.35 | 830 – 1,010 | 15021 | 32986 |
Texas Southern University
|
| 56 | Wiley University | 636 | 97.35 | -- | 10290 | 28078 |
Wiley University
|
| 57 | Tarleton State University | 15130 | 52.56 | -- | 15363 | 46729 |
Tarleton State University
|
| 58 | Texas A&M University-Texarkana | 1760 | 80.14 | 940 – 1,190 | 13320 | 41785 |
Texas A&M University-Texarkana
|
| 59 | University of Houston | 39257 | 73.92 | 1,160 – 1,340 | 13738 | 52768 | |
| 60 | Huston-Tillotson University | 982 | 67.69 | 830 – 1,020 | 19638 | 38342 |
Huston-Tillotson University
|
| 61 | Howard Payne University | 768 | 67.69 | 920 – 1,130 | 25768 | 38212 |
Howard Payne University
|
| 62 | Abilene Christian University | 3233 | 66.04 | 1,010 – 1,250 | 28311 | 46727 | |
| 63 | University of Houston-Victoria | 2707 | 76.71 | 850 – 1,010 | 9912 | 44888 |
University of Houston-Victoria
|
| 64 | Jarvis Christian University | 730 | 93.36 | 760 – 930 | 10674 | 27077 |
Jarvis Christian University
|
| 65 | Paul Quinn College | 600 | 33.81 | 760 – 970 | 18118 | 27021 |
#65
Paul Quinn College
|
| 66 | Wayland Baptist University | 2087 | 55.96 | 840 – 1,010 | 20222 | 44159 |
#66
Wayland Baptist University
|
| 67 | Texas Wesleyan University | 1910 | 62.39 | 970 – 1,120 | 21169 | 44773 |
Texas Wesleyan University
|
| 68 | College of Biblical Studies-Houston | 482 | 89.93 | -- | 14684 | 33366 |
College of Biblical Studies-Houston
|
| 69 | Dallas Christian College | 278 | 84.03 | 800 – 1,080 | 22463 | 39868 |
Dallas Christian College
|
| 70 | Texas College | 644 | 42.6 | -- | 10901 | 27901 |
Texas College
|
| 71 | Arlington Baptist University | 268 | 79.23 | -- | 26503 | 32206 |
Arlington Baptist University
|
| 72 | The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary | 351 | 52.75 | 1,050 – 1,260 | 11654 | 53001 | |
| 73 | Hallmark University | 407 | 100 | -- | 10153 | 46666 | |
| 74 | North American University | 609 | 22.7 | -- | 13702 | 32221 |
North American University
|
| 75 | Remington College-Dallas Campus | 208 | 50.99 | -- | 27674 | 50742 | |
| 76 | The King's University | 272 | 100 | 870 – 1,130 | 23878 | 30883 | |
| 77 | American InterContinental University-Houston | 124 | 92.44 | -- | 18558 | 27823 | |
| 78 | Southwestern Christian College | 128 | 55.52 | -- | 15275 | 19686 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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