Is a research university right for me?–

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students. Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel. Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well. Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Is an online college right for me?–

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college. Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain. Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc. The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions. If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Texas 2024

Q: Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Badge for BEST IN TEXAS LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES

By Dr. James Barham

Updated: Oct 26, 2023

Liberal arts colleges are a great option for students seeking a well-rounded education in an intimate campus setting. The best liberal arts colleges in Texas offer a diverse selection of degree programs with opportunities for a highly individualized educational experience.

Trinity University
St. Mary's University, Texas
University of Dallas
Abilene Christian University
Southwestern University
Wiley College
Prairie View A&M University
Austin College
Angelo State University
Texas College

University of St. Thomas 97%
Sul Ross State University 97%
Midwestern State University 92%
West Texas A&M University 92%
University of Houston–Downtown 88%
Hardin–Simmons University 88%
Tarleton State University 87%
St. Mary's University, Texas 86%
Concordia University Texas 86%
St. Edward's University 85%

Paul Quinn College 20 to 1
Tyler Junior College 20 to 1
Texas A&M International University 19 to 1
Concordia University Texas 18 to 1
Angelo State University 18 to 1
University of Houston–Downtown 18 to 1
Wiley College 18 to 1
Texas College 17 to 1
Tarleton State University 17 to 1
West Texas A&M University 17 to 1

St. Edward's University $50,766
Trinity University $49,264
Southwestern University $48,650
University of Dallas $48,000
Austin College $44,950
Abilene Christian University $40,500
Houston Christian University $36,750
Concordia University Texas $35,620
Schreiner University $35,614
St. Mary's University, Texas $35,226

University of Dallas $33,750
Austin College $29,415
St. Edward's University $28,980
Abilene Christian University $24,174
Trinity University $23,597
Schreiner University $22,752
University of St. Thomas $20,934
St. Mary's University, Texas $19,224
McMurry University $17,334
LeTourneau University $16,875

McMurry University
Tyler Junior College
Lubbock Christian University
LeTourneau University
Hardin–Simmons University
University of Houston–Downtown
Brazosport College
Wayland Baptist University
Paul Quinn College
Sul Ross State University

Tyler Junior College
University of Houston–Downtown
Lubbock Christian University
Texas A&M International University
Brazosport College
McMurry University
West Texas A&M University
LeTourneau University
Schreiner University
Concordia University Texas

Trinity University 31%
Southwestern University 45%
Texas A&M International University 48%
LeTourneau University 49%
Austin College 54%
McMurry University 57%
Paul Quinn College 57%
University of Dallas 59%
Abilene Christian University 66%
University of Houston–Clear Lake 69%

Wayland Baptist University 8 to 1
Trinity University 9 to 1
St. Mary's University, Texas 11 to 1
Southwestern University 11 to 1
Austin College 11 to 1
Sul Ross State University 12 to 1
Lubbock Christian University 12 to 1
University of Dallas 12 to 1
Abilene Christian University 13 to 1
McMurry University 13 to 1

Tyler Junior College $2,208
Brazosport College $2,629
Texas A&M International University $3,818
Tarleton State University $4,416
Angelo State University $4,495
Sul Ross State University $5,419
Midwestern State University $5,877
University of Houston–Downtown $5,994
University of Houston–Clear Lake $6,024
West Texas A&M University $6,372

Texas A&M International University $3,350
Angelo State University $4,181
Midwestern State University $4,246
Sul Ross State University $4,316
Tarleton State University $4,356
West Texas A&M University $5,088
Prairie View A&M University $5,191
University of Houston–Clear Lake $7,920
University of Houston–Downtown $8,073
Paul Quinn College $9,456

Key Takeaways

The best liberal arts colleges will help you develop in-demand soft skills, including critical thinking, which you’ll need to compete in the job market.
While liberal arts colleges offer a broad curriculum and prepare you for diverse career paths through the guidance of hands-on faculty, a liberal arts education may result in lower earnings and intense career planning unless you choose a major focus.
Due to its small class sizes, tuition fees for the best liberal arts colleges in Texas range from $8k to $50K. The cheapest liberal arts colleges in Texas include Tarleton State University. The most expensive is St. Edward’s University.

Table of Contents

Liberal Arts in the Lone Star State

Texas is mainly known for its football fields, religious colleges, such as TX Texas Christian University and Southern Methodist University, and large schools and institutions, such as Texas Tech University, Rice University, and Baylor University. Some people might now know that Texas has some of the best liberal arts colleges in the nation.

Due to their unmatched advantages, a liberal arts college is becoming increasingly popular with students seeking a bachelor’s degree.

About The Liberal Arts Education

You will study various topics while taking different perspectives on the world and its people. You will gain knowledge of the principles and ideals that have influenced civilizations for thousands of years and served as a guide for people. You’ll query yourself on issues like:

What does being a human mean?
What have people done, considered, and felt?
What are the meanings of truth and beauty in life?
How have our physical and natural environments shaped us, and how have we shaped them?
What knowledge, methodologies, or approaches can be used to study the Earth and its inhabitants?

A liberal arts education is broad and diverse as opposed to specific and focused. You can gain a comprehensive and practical education by selecting courses from several disciplines.

Liberal Arts Majors and Degrees

Humanities

The topics of Romantic-era poetry, ancient and contemporary languages, and empire rise and fall are all topics humanities students cover. The humanities are fundamental to a liberal arts education and explore literature, history, culture, and moral principles.

Humanities majors develop their writing, critical thinking, and research abilities while studying these subjects.

The humanities often encompass the following majors:

Communication
Philosophy
History
Language
English

A few of the best liberal arts colleges for a humanities degree are Abilene Christian University, Trinity University, and Austin College.

Social sciences

Social science is the study of interpersonal relationships. Social scientists investigate how societies function, looking at what makes people happy, spurs economic growth, and creates unemployment. Their findings are used to guide public policies, educational initiatives, urban planning, marketing plans, and numerous other projects.

The list of typical social science degrees that follows demonstrates the range of disciplines that make up this area of study:

Anthropology
Criminal justice
Economics
Political science
Psychology
Sociology

A few of the best liberal arts colleges for a social science degree are Southern Methodist University, Texas College, and Schreiner University.

Fine Arts

A major in the arts integrates several academic disciplines, including painting, art history, sculpture, and photography. The business of the visual arts and art therapy are two more areas of study. These degrees, as examples, include:

Art history
Theater arts
Graphic design
Music
Film
Interactive media

A few of the best liberal arts colleges for an arts degree are Wayland Baptist University, Sul Ross State University, and Houston Baptist University.

Natural Sciences

Programs in the natural sciences are frequently interdisciplinary and include multiple sciences at once. Typically, they consist of the following five majors or fields:

Astronomy
Biology
Chemistry
Geology
Physics

A few of the best liberal arts colleges for a natural science degree are Southwestern University, Southern Methodist University, and Trinity University.

Most Useful Liberal Arts Skills

A liberal arts degree gives you a well-rounded education compared to higher education programs focused on a certain profession. As a result, finding a job with precise criteria might be difficult. Fortunately, a liberal arts education teaches you skills you can use to pin down job opportunities. Here are the most important skills you gain from liberal arts:

Foreign languages and cross-cultural knowledge
Research and information retrieval
Numeracy
Critical thinking
Creative thinking

Colleges and Universities in Texas

Texas offers more than 30 colleges and universities that serve communities of 10,000 students or more. The largest school in the bunch (and in the nation), Texas A&M University in College Station serves more than 65,000 students. The University of Texas at Austin is the next largest, serving about 45,000 students - but it too has a big claim to fame, as the wealthiest public university in the United States. Texas’s private colleges and universities, including Baylor University and Southern Methodist University, are also impressive in size and scope. The majority of these schools have religious affiliations and offer degrees in a variety fields, such as nursing, religious studies, criminal justice, business, and education.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

For students who prefer a more intimate educational environment, Texas offers a long list of smaller public and private colleges and universities, such as Abilene Christian University and University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Additionally, Texas has generous loan forgiveness programs for qualifying nurses, physicians, teachers, legal aid attorneys, and lawyers who work in the Texas Attorney General’s office.

Texas is known for doing things big. Big cities, big open spaces and, of course, big fun. Whether you’re hitting up the live music scene in Austin, catching a Cowboys game in Dallas, or strolling down the River Walk in San Antonio, you’re sure to have a good time. And, with more than 150 higher education institutes, it’s safe to say The Lone Star State is big on education too.

If you’re looking to earn your degree in the state of Texas, you’ll have plenty of higher learning institutes to choose from.

What are Texas’s Colleges & Universities?

Texas’s Best Overall

How do we determine Texas's best colleges and universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

A liberal arts college is a school that puts a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. We’ve identified 46 liberal arts colleges in Texas. To be ranked among the 30 best liberal arts colleges in Texas, schools must fully accredited institutions.

Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Texas 2023

Texas’s Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Your Area of Interest

Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges

In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students.

Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines.

Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.

Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.
Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students.

Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).

Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers.

Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US.

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available.

Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online.

Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.

Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands.

Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.

Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving.

If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.

The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors.

Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.

If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 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 liberal arts colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top liberal arts schools in every state.

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here

Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Texas 2024

10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Texas

Key Takeaways

Liberal Arts in the Lone Star State

About The Liberal Arts Education

Liberal Arts Majors and Degrees

Humanities

Social sciences

Fine Arts

Natural Sciences

Most Useful Liberal Arts Skills

Colleges and Universities in Texas

What are Texas’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Texas 2023

Career Outlook for degree at Trinity University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Abilene Christian University

Most Influential Alumni

Abilene Christian University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at St. Mary's University, Texas

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Dallas

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Prairie View A&M University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Austin College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Houston Christian University

Most Influential Alumni

Houston Christian University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Southwestern University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Angelo State University

Most Influential Alumni

Angelo State University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Texas College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Texas A&M International University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at St. Edward's University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Concordia University Texas

Most Influential Alumni

Concordia University Texas’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at University of Houston–Clear Lake

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of St. Thomas

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Wiley College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Midwestern State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Tarleton State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at West Texas A&M University

Most Influential Alumni

West Texas A&M University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Schreiner University

Career Outlook for degree at Sul Ross State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Paul Quinn College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Wayland Baptist University