Private colleges, unlike large public institutions, can be a great option for students wanting a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Here is our list of the best private colleges in Oklahoma.
Less than half of the schools in Oklahoma are private schools. However, students who attend one these schools can expect a more intimate college experience, as each has a student population smaller than 4,000 students. The largest private school, the University of Tulsa, offers degrees in fields like education, criminal justice, and literature, with tuition fees around $41,000. The public schools tend to be more cost-friendly, with tuition ranging from $4,000 to $9,000 per year.
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The University of Oklahoma, the state’s largest public school, costs about $9,000 and serves over 24,000 students. Here, students can partake in competitive on-campus programs in fields like communications and social work, or pursue one of the 30 graduate degrees and certificates online. Oklahoma is also home to several religiously affiliated schools, like Oral Roberts University and Bacone College. Students hoping to pursue a career as a physician, physician’s assistant, or dentist may also want to consider earning their degree here as the state offers several loan forgiveness programs to those who qualify.
The state of Oklahoma is serious about its food - so serious they even declared an official state meal, which consists of fried okra, cornbread, barbecue pork, squash, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken fried steak, black-eyed peas, and pecan pie. Those hoping to feed both their bellies and their minds can attend one of Oklahoma’s more than 40 colleges and universities.
To learn more about earning your degree in Oklahoma, check out some of the state’s top programs.
Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models. Public colleges and universities are owned by the state and receive both state and federal funding to operate. Private colleges and universities are private companies with private funding. If you’re looking at the pros and cons of private vs. public colleges, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.
Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a public university is often lower than the equivalent cost at a private college — especially for students attending a public school in their home state. Attending a college in-state is usually the cheapest option. Private universities and colleges can be very competitive with their funding opportunities, so do not simply believe that private colleges are always going to be more expensive. According to National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually. But in the end, the cost of college comes down to each student’s academic and financial situation.
This list is composed entirely of private colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 11 private universities in Oklahoma. To be included in the list below of the best private universities in Oklahoma, schools must be fully accredited, private, non-profit institution, and must offer a broad range of bachelor’s degrees.
Tuition + fees
$46K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
73%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1205/27
University of Tulsa’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$33K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
65%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1171/25
Oklahoma City University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$32K
Acceptance
85%
Graduation
59%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1100/23
Oral Roberts University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$25K
Acceptance
97%
Graduation
56%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1135/23
Oklahoma Christian University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$32K
Acceptance
56%
Graduation
54%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1105/23
Oklahoma Baptist University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$15K
Acceptance
55%
Graduation
7%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
938/17
Bacone College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$29K
Acceptance
54%
Graduation
33%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1035/20
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$27K
Graduation
48%
Student body
2K
Southern Nazarene University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$16K
Acceptance
55%
Graduation
19%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1017/20
Randall University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$20K
Graduation
24%
Student body
<1K
Southwestern Christian University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$19K
Graduation
36%
Student body
1K
Mid-America Christian University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.
Check out our directory of private colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top private schools in every state.