Best Online Colleges in Texas 2023

Published: Jan 4, 2022
Updated: Mar 13, 2023

Find the best online colleges in Texas ranked by the academic success of faculty and alumni associated with the colleges and universities and their online degree programs.

Top 10 Online Colleges in Texas

Texas A&M University

61%

Texas Tech University

50%

University of North Texas

47%

University of Texas at Arlington

43%

Texas Southern University

42%

Texas Christian University

42%

University of Texas at El Paso

41%

University of Texas at San Antonio

38%

Sam Houston State University

35%

Lamar University

35%

University of Texas at El Paso

100%

The King's University

100%

Sam Houston State University

97%

West Texas A&M University

97%

University of Houston–Downtown

95%

Hardin–Simmons University

95%

Dallas Baptist University

94%

University of the Incarnate Word

94%

University of Texas at Tyler

94%

University of Texas at Arlington

93%

University of Texas at San Antonio

27 to 1

University of North Texas

26 to 1

University of Texas at Arlington

24 to 1

University of Texas at El Paso

21 to 1

Angelo State University

21 to 1

Sam Houston State University

21 to 1

University of Houston–Downtown

20 to 1

University of Houston–Victoria

20 to 1

Amberton University

20 to 1

Texas A&M University

19 to 1

Texas Christian University

$51,660

Abilene Christian University

$39,350

Houston Christian University

$35,500

Concordia University Texas

$34,500

Texas Wesleyan University

$34,412

Dallas Baptist University

$33,620

LeTourneau University

$33,490

University of the Incarnate Word

$33,100

Hardin–Simmons University

$31,686

Our Lady of the Lake University

$29,926

Texas Christian University

$32,220

Abilene Christian University

$24,174

Southwestern Adventist University

$22,848

Dallas Baptist University

$19,872

University of the Incarnate Word

$18,540

Texas Wesleyan University

$18,227

LeTourneau University

$16,875

Our Lady of the Lake University

$16,650

McMurry University

$16,380

Hardin–Simmons University

$13,230

The King's University

14%

Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary

15%

College of Biblical Studies

15%

Southwestern Adventist University

18%

East Texas Baptist University

19%

University of Houston–Victoria

19%

Amberton University

20%

Tyler Junior College

21%

University of Texas Permian Basin

22%

Southwestern Assemblies of God University

22%

University of Houston–Victoria

53%

LeTourneau University

54%

Texas Christian University

54%

Southwestern Adventist University

58%

Texas Wesleyan University

58%

Texas Southern University

63%

Texas A&M University

64%

University of Texas Permian Basin

65%

East Texas Baptist University

65%

Our Lady of the Lake University

66%

Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary

2 to 1

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

7 to 1

The King's University

10 to 1

Southwestern Adventist University

11 to 1

McMurry University

11 to 1

Our Lady of the Lake University

11 to 1

College of Biblical Studies

12 to 1

University of the Incarnate Word

12 to 1

Texas Wesleyan University

12 to 1

Concordia University Texas

12 to 1

Tyler Junior College

$2,208

Angelo State University

$4,495

University of Houston–Victoria

$5,111

Sam Houston State University

$5,856

University of Houston–Downtown

$5,882

West Texas A&M University

$6,211

Lamar University

$6,228

University of Texas at San Antonio

$6,237

College of Biblical Studies

$6,576

University of Texas Permian Basin

$6,577

Angelo State University

$4,181

University of Texas Permian Basin

$4,948

West Texas A&M University

$5,086

Stephen F. Austin State University

$5,262

Sam Houston State University

$5,765

University of Texas at El Paso

$5,865

University of Texas at Tyler

$6,264

University of North Texas

$6,350

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

$6,360

Lamar University

$6,471

Featured Programs

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

Online education has grown dramatically in quality, credibility, and popularity over the last two decades. Today, more than a quarter of all college students are taking at least one online course. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are more than 5 million college students who are pursuing their undergraduate degree fully online. And the number of online college and graduate students continues to grow as online technology and instructional methods improve.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, access to remote learning has proven an essential part of the educational ecosystem. Schools that offer primarily online degree programs saw an increase of 7% enrollment just between Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. The number of traditional institutions offering online courses and degrees is growing as well. This all paints a promising picture for the future of online education. But it also produces a dizzying array of options.

Frequently Asked Questions About Best Online Colleges 2022

Asynchronous learning means classes don’t meet at set times. This is the most flexible online learning experience, making when you cover your course material up to you. Most asynchronous online courses will still have deadlines throughout the semester for various assignments and tests. Some asynchronous classes may still ask for an occasional meeting, such as initial meet-and-greets, and in some cases there may be scheduled test times. The idea of asynchronous learning is to allow the student to manage their schedules as needed.

Synchronous learning means you will have scheduled meeting times for your online classes. Synchronous learning gives online students the flexibility of location while also giving students a chance to engage with each other and their professors. For many online students, the structured class schedules and ability to see and hear from peers in real-time helps create the learning experience they want.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities—educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

How do we determine the best online colleges for undergrads?

Methodology

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Best Online Colleges in Texas 2023

Top 10 Online Colleges in Texas

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in Texas

What are Texas’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Online Colleges in Texas 2022

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