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 | 23589 | 79751 |
#1
Rice University
|
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin | 43165 | 26.64 | 1,260 – 1,500 | 17942 | 60896 |
#2
The University of Texas at Austin
|
| 3 | Southern Methodist University | 7285 | 63.35 | 1,360 – 1,500 | 48179 | 65556 |
#3
Southern Methodist University
|
| 4 | Trinity University | 2518 | 25.92 | 1,360 – 1,500 | 32224 | 55224 |
#4
Trinity University
|
| 5 | Texas Christian University | 11049 | 44.49 | 1,190 – 1,380 | 41848 | 60435 |
#5
Texas Christian University
|
| 6 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 60710 | 57.43 | 1,170 – 1,400 | 21437 | 59386 |
Texas A&M University-College Station
|
| 7 | Baylor University | 14915 | 51.28 | 1,230 – 1,420 | 47001 | 56532 |
Baylor University
|
| 8 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 21858 | 65.13 | 1,170 – 1,420 | 14916 | 57249 |
The University of Texas at Dallas
|
| 9 | Southwestern University | 1440 | 43.05 | 1,160 – 1,320 | 32228 | 49249 |
Southwestern University
|
| 10 | Austin College | 1165 | 47.65 | 1,110 – 1,320 | 23462 | 45242 |
Austin College
|
| 11 | Galen College of Nursing-San Antonio | 2953 | 64.5 | 630 – 850 | 27907 | 58951 |
#11
Galen College of Nursing-San Antonio
|
| 12 | University of Dallas | 1444 | 53.44 | 1,120 – 1,360 | 29209 | 45950 |
University of Dallas
|
| 13 | Parker University | 621 | 0 | -- | 29928 | 44181 | |
| 14 | LeTourneau University | 3187 | 38.01 | 1,030 – 1,350 | 29799 | 51058 |
LeTourneau University
|
| 15 | Saint Edward's University | 2499 | 81.42 | 1,000 – 1,260 | 28766 | 47743 |
Saint Edward's University
|
| 16 | University of Houston | 39257 | 73.92 | 1,160 – 1,340 | 14309 | 52768 |
University of Houston
|
| 17 | Texas Tech University | 32580 | 72.65 | 1,110 – 1,290 | 16919 | 52588 |
Texas Tech University
|
| 18 | Abilene Christian University | 3263 | 66.03 | 1,090 – 1,290 | 28760 | 46727 |
Abilene Christian University
|
| 19 | University of St Thomas | 3365 | 89.92 | 980 – 1,210 | 20599 | 49971 |
#19
University of St Thomas
|
| 20 | University of North Texas | 34458 | 72.23 | 990 – 1,240 | 15965 | 46304 |
University of North Texas
|
| 21 | Southwest University at El Paso | 2073 | 0 | -- | 16906 | 29611 | |
| 22 | Texas State University | 36236 | 89.32 | 990 – 1,210 | 15716 | 46716 |
#22
Texas State University
|
| 23 | The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary | 354 | 57.71 | 1,050 – 1,260 | 16497 | 63721 |
The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
|
| 24 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 31127 | 86.79 | 1,010 – 1,220 | 10959 | 46340 |
The University of Texas at San Antonio
|
| 25 | Hardin-Simmons University | 1291 | 90 | 1,010 – 1,210 | 19811 | 44392 |
Hardin-Simmons University
|
| 26 | Criswell College | 132 | 100 | 1,090 – 1,150 | 5865 | 42026 |
Criswell College
|
| 27 | Dallas Baptist University | 2785 | 88.84 | 990 – 1,230 | 30057 | 45138 |
Dallas Baptist University
|
| 28 | Sam Houston State University | 17787 | 90.26 | 930 – 1,130 | 14737 | 45337 |
Sam Houston State University
|
| 29 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 28674 | 94.19 | 870 – 1,090 | 5282 | 35812 |
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
|
| 30 | University of the Incarnate Word | 4638 | 98.14 | 910 – 1,150 | 23363 | 47625 |
University of the Incarnate Word
|
| 31 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 32545 | 79.9 | 1,010 – 1,250 | 13755 | 60902 |
The University of Texas at Arlington
|
| 32 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | 6139 | 90.52 | 980 – 1,160 | 14059 | 52098 |
University of Houston-Clear Lake
|
| 33 | Stephen F Austin State University | 9129 | 93.99 | 970 – 1,180 | 14959 | 43144 |
Stephen F Austin State University
|
| 34 | Chamberlain University-Texas | 2270 | 83.87 | -- | 31278 | 84533 |
#34
Chamberlain University-Texas
|
| 35 | The University of Texas at Tyler | 7683 | 94.02 | 1,020 – 1,220 | 14476 | 49355 |
The University of Texas at Tyler
|
| 36 | Texas A&M International University | 7210 | 44.37 | 890 – 1,100 | 5644 | 37327 |
Texas A&M International University
|
| 37 | Schreiner University | 1120 | 88.2 | 970 – 1,170 | 22884 | 45527 |
Schreiner University
|
| 38 | Houston Christian University | 2899 | 84.44 | 990 – 1,190 | 21282 | 44595 |
Houston Christian University
|
| 39 | Hallmark University | 771 | 51.34 | -- | 12053 | 46666 |
Hallmark University
|
| 40 | Lubbock Christian University | 1313 | 73.1 | 980 – 1,230 | 24544 | 46464 |
Lubbock Christian University
|
| 41 | East Texas Baptist University | 1634 | 57.76 | 930 – 1,120 | 25092 | 41759 |
East Texas Baptist University
|
| 42 | Nelson University | 1479 | 89.02 | 890 – 1,090 | 22359 | 37425 |
Nelson University
|
| 43 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 2953 | 84.45 | 850 – 1,100 | 7586 | 51716 |
University of North Texas at Dallas
|
| 44 | Texas Lutheran University | 1319 | 95.71 | 1,050 – 1,250 | 25119 | 48125 |
Texas Lutheran University
|
| 45 | West Texas A & M University | 6926 | 98.68 | 960 – 1,160 | 15572 | 44399 |
West Texas A & M University
|
| 46 | Southwestern Adventist University | 758 | 78.36 | 920 – 1,210 | 20466 | 43643 |
Southwestern Adventist University
|
| 47 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 1108 | 65.78 | 880 – 1,100 | 16999 | 41195 |
Our Lady of the Lake University
|
| 48 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 21118 | 99.92 | 870 – 1,090 | 9305 | 37978 |
The University of Texas at El Paso
|
| 49 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 2803 | 95.76 | 980 – 1,220 | 27651 | 48368 |
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
|
| 50 | The King's University | 251 | 60.64 | 870 – 1,130 | 13940 | 30883 |
The King's University
|
| 51 | Tarleton State University | 15254 | 89.55 | 990 – 1,170 | 16159 | 46729 |
Tarleton State University
|
| 52 | Texas Woman's University | 10039 | 96.12 | 930 – 1,140 | 11636 | 48773 |
Texas Woman's University
|
| 53 | St. Mary's University | 2149 | 97.76 | 890 – 1,310 | 20412 | 44130 |
St. Mary's University
|
| 54 | Angelo State University | 9702 | 83.01 | 940 – 1,170 | 14048 | 41050 |
Angelo State University
|
| 55 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | 5386 | 90.92 | 990 – 1,110 | 12812 | 44882 |
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
|
| 56 | Prairie View A & M University | 8877 | 79.31 | 870 – 1,080 | 14448 | 36350 |
Prairie View A & M University
|
| 57 | McMurry University | 3167 | 57.04 | 960 – 1,170 | 20723 | 38647 |
#57
McMurry University
|
| 58 | Midwestern State University | 4303 | 93.52 | 910 – 1,110 | 11215 | 46637 |
Midwestern State University
|
| 59 | Concordia University Texas | 1188 | 91.25 | 860 – 1,120 | 24723 | 48058 |
Concordia University Texas
|
| 60 | Texas Wesleyan University | 1796 | 69.16 | 1,020 – 1,100 | 26416 | 44773 |
Texas Wesleyan University
|
| 61 | East Texas A&M University | 9992 | 92.24 | 930 – 1,160 | 12327 | 43157 |
East Texas A&M University
|
| 62 | Texas A&M University-San Antonio | 7062 | 92.8 | 850 – 1,080 | 11568 | 43479 |
#62
Texas A&M University-San Antonio
|
| 63 | Howard Payne University | 751 | 67.37 | 890 – 1,200 | 25750 | 38212 |
Howard Payne University
|
| 64 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | 4218 | 94.89 | 920 – 1,140 | 13563 | 50020 |
The University of Texas Permian Basin
|
| 65 | Texas A&M University-Texarkana | 1982 | 63.54 | 890 – 1,110 | 12747 | 41785 |
Texas A&M University-Texarkana
|
| 66 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 8320 | 88.58 | 980 – 1,200 | 15233 | 42933 |
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
|
| 67 | Lamar University | 8184 | 86.41 | 940 – 1,160 | 9814 | 47077 |
Lamar University
|
| 68 | Huston-Tillotson University | 1024 | 39.09 | 850 – 1,250 | 20355 | 38342 |
Huston-Tillotson University
|
| 69 | University of Houston-Downtown | 12622 | 89.96 | 940 – 1,110 | 10832 | 49120 |
University of Houston-Downtown
|
| 70 | University of Houston-Victoria | 2627 | 95.9 | 1,000 – 1,190 | 6754 | 44888 |
University of Houston-Victoria
|
| 71 | Texas Southern University | 6844 | 96.91 | 820 – 1,010 | 13584 | 32986 |
Texas Southern University
|
| 72 | Dallas Christian College | 224 | 21.8 | 810 – 1,070 | 24001 | 39868 |
#72
Dallas Christian College
|
| 73 | North American University | 609 | 100 | -- | 16303 | 32221 |
#73
North American University
|
| 74 | Sul Ross State University | 1890 | 98.71 | 910 – 1,130 | 14454 | 34340 |
Sul Ross State University
|
| 75 | Paul Quinn College | 620 | 40.28 | 840 – 990 | 12709 | 27021 |
Paul Quinn College
|
| 76 | Wayland Baptist University | 2087 | 55.96 | 900 – 1,120 | 20446 | 44159 |
Wayland Baptist University
|
| 77 | Arlington Baptist University | 284 | 0 | -- | 25267 | 32206 | |
| 78 | Wiley University | 712 | 0 | -- | 7149 | 28078 |
Wiley University
|
| 79 | South Texas College | 27431 | 0 | -- | 1844 | 28239 | |
| 80 | Jarvis Christian University | 577 | 0 | -- | 9082 | 27077 | |
| 81 | Texas College | 614 | 0 | -- | 10958 | 27901 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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