Best Small Colleges in Texas 2023

Best Small Colleges in Texas 2023

By James Barham

Published: Mar 15, 2021
Updated: Mar 13, 2023

Small colleges in Texas are a great option for students interested in a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Whether the focus is on the technical or on the liberal arts, small colleges give you the chance to pursue a well-rounded education while working closely with classmates and professors in a dynamic community atmosphere.

10 Best Small Colleges in Texas 2022

Trinity University

36%

St. Mary's University, Texas

36%

Abilene Christian University

34%

University of Dallas

34%

Southwestern University

32%

32%

31%

30%

McMurry University

29%

Dallas Baptist University

28%

Sul Ross State University

100%

University of St. Thomas

98%

Hardin–Simmons University

95%

Lubbock Christian University

95%

Dallas Baptist University

94%

St. Edward's University

92%

Concordia University Texas

89%

St. Mary's University, Texas

88%

Paul Quinn College

87%

Houston Christian University

85%

22 to 1

Paul Quinn College

18 to 1

17 to 1

Houston Christian University

16 to 1

Hardin–Simmons University

15 to 1

LeTourneau University

15 to 1

St. Edward's University

14 to 1

Dallas Baptist University

14 to 1

University of St. Thomas

14 to 1

Lubbock Christian University

14 to 1

St. Edward's University

$49,996

Trinity University

$47,392

Southwestern University

$47,000

University of Dallas

$46,864

$43,525

Abilene Christian University

$39,350

Houston Christian University

$35,500

St. Mary's University, Texas

$34,564

Concordia University Texas

$34,500

Texas Wesleyan University

$34,412

University of Dallas

$33,750

$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

Dallas Baptist University

$19,872

St. Mary's University, Texas

$18,684

Texas Wesleyan University

$18,227

Lubbock Christian University

23%

Brazosport College

24%

LeTourneau University

24%

Howard Payne University

24%

Our Lady of the Lake University

24%

Schreiner University

25%

Houston Christian University

25%

Paul Quinn College

26%

Texas Wesleyan University

26%

Sul Ross State University

26%

Trinity University

34%

43%

Southwestern University

51%

LeTourneau University

54%

Texas Wesleyan University

58%

University of Dallas

58%

Howard Payne University

59%

Our Lady of the Lake University

66%

Abilene Christian University

70%

McMurry University

78%

Trinity University

9 to 1

Wayland Baptist University

9 to 1

Howard Payne University

10 to 1

McMurry University

11 to 1

Our Lady of the Lake University

11 to 1

Sul Ross State University

11 to 1

St. Mary's University, Texas

12 to 1

12 to 1

Brazosport College

12 to 1

Texas Wesleyan University

12 to 1

Brazosport College

$2,600

Sul Ross State University

$6,774

$10,008

Paul Quinn College

$10,672

$13,500

Wayland Baptist University

$22,004

Lubbock Christian University

$24,900

McMurry University

$29,400

Our Lady of the Lake University

$29,926

Howard Payne University

$30,178

Sul Ross State University

$4,162

Lubbock Christian University

$9,540

Howard Payne University

$10,080

Houston Christian University

$11,000

Concordia University Texas

$11,970

Hardin–Simmons University

$13,230

Wayland Baptist University

$13,896

McMurry University

$16,380

Our Lady of the Lake University

$16,650

LeTourneau University

$16,875

Key Takeaways

The best small colleges in Texas are characterized by their small student body (i.e., less than 5,000 students), exceptional student support services, and high graduation rates. Students in these small colleges receive more personalized attention than their counterparts in the largest schools in the Lone Star State.
There are numerous advantages to attending the best small colleges in Texas, from small class sizes to close-knit student-alumni communities. But most students in small colleges also caution against idealization because there are also a few disadvantages.
Individuals interested in enrolling in the small colleges featured on the list must take steps to determine their suitability as students in these institutions of higher education.

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

Texas's Best Small Colleges and Universities Badge — Download Badge

Attending A Small College in Texas

Did you know that some of the best small colleges in Texas were established and supported by churches? Southwestern University, established in 1843, was known as Rutersville University after its founder, Methodist minister Martin Ruter. Austin College, established in 1849, was started by the Brazos Presbytery.

Even today, the standard Texas Christian university maintains religious affiliations that strengthen the quality of higher education in these institutions.

Trinity University, a private liberal arts college, was founded by Cumberland Presbyterians in 1869. Abilene Christian University, a private university, is affiliated with the Churches of Christ. Houston Baptist University, now known as Houston Christian University, is a private Christian institution.

While these universities are considered “small colleges” due to the size of their student body—5,000 or less students in the undergraduate programs—these are big on benefits! But be sure to look at the few disadvantages of small colleges, too.

Big Fish in a Small Pond: Merits of Being Students in a Small Colleges

Many of the best small colleges in Texas are liberal arts colleges that offer academic programs in social sciences, criminal justice, and interdisciplinary studies, among others. With under 5,000 students, the student-to-faculty ratio ranges from 10:1 to 5:1.

With that in mind, numerous benefits of small colleges can be concluded.

Small class sizes. In contrast with large research universities, small colleges have correspondingly small class sizes—lecture halls with a hundred students are unlikely. In many small colleges, a class can consist of 50 or less students; many classes can even have 20 or less students. Small class sizes means more opportunities for class discussions and social interactions.
Professors teach the classes themselves. Most of the best small colleges in Texas don’t have graduate programs, thus, teaching assistants are uncommon in classrooms. Professors then assume most, if not all, the teaching responsibilities in and out of the classroom that, in turn, encourages stronger commitment to education. (Professors aren’t subjected to the publish-or-perish mindset with emphasis on research in large universities).
Higher quality of evaluation and feedback. Since professors handle small classes, there’s more time and attention given to the evaluation of the students’ academic performance. Students benefit from the more constructive feedback and suggestions, thus, allowing them more opportunities for personal growth.

Professors are also more likely to assign more papers and projects that enable students to develop their communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
More personalized attention for students. With small class sizes comes the opportunity for more personalized attention from professors toward students.

One-on-one attention is of particular importance when writing a senior thesis project and other activities that benefit from academic advising. More student-professor collaborations are also possible.
Greater curricular freedom. Small colleges are more likely to give students more leeway in their studies, particularly in their choices of courses that meet their individual needs. Interdisciplinary studies are popular in small colleges for this reason.

Most importantly, a small college has a more closely knit community than large universities—the latter can have an isolating effect (i.e., being alone in a large crowd).

But small colleges have their disadvantages, too, including, fewer research resources and facilities; less variety in its social and sports programs; and fewer choices in majors.

Suitable Candidates: Are You Right for a Small College?

First off, you should carefully weigh the pros and cons of small colleges. Ask yourself these questions. If you respond “yes” to most or all of them, then a small college may be right for you.

Do you enjoy the class discussions and participation in a small class?
Do you thrive in close relationships—appropriate, of course—with your teachers and see them as mentors?
Do you like more detailed constructive criticism of your work?
Do you like the freedom of choosing your academic program of study?

But even with affirmative answers, you should do a campus tour of the small colleges you want to be in! It’s the best way to see whether you will fit in or not.

The following list of the best small colleges and universities in Texas is composed mainly of four-year undergraduate schools (though a handful also offer graduate programs). We’ve identified 39 small colleges in Texas. The list below of the 25 best small colleges in Texas. To be included schools must fully accredited, and must have student body populations below 5,000 students.

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

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.

Best Small Colleges in Texas 2022

Texas’s Best Small College in Your Area of Interest

2021 Ranking Archive

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.