Lens covers 31 big-city colleges in the South and Southwest, 14 public and 17 private. They range from Huston-Tillotson University (1,005 undergraduates) to The University of Texas at Austin (42,855). Acceptance rates run from 8% to 100%, and 23 of the 31 admit at least half of applicants.
Big-city colleges are in a city of 250,000 people or more (NCES locale). It describes the surrounding area; some city colleges have a campus of their own. In Lens, the South and Southwest means Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.
Open these 31 colleges in the College Filter → Narrow them by cost at your rate, majors, size and more.
The 31 big-city colleges in the South and Southwest
Listed A to Z. Lens never ranks colleges.
| College | Location | Undergraduates | Acceptance rate | Tuition & fees (before aid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Baptist University | Dallas, Texas | 2,403 | 89% | $40,190 |
| Dillard University | New Orleans, Louisiana | 1,063 | 42% | $23,918 |
| Houston Christian University | Houston, Texas | 2,886 | 84% | $39,430 |
| Huston-Tillotson University | Austin, Texas | 1,005 | 39% | $26,709 |
| Loyola University New Orleans | New Orleans, Louisiana | 2,812 | 93% | $49,440 |
| Oral Roberts University | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 3,487 | 99% | $35,470 |
| Rice University | Houston, Texas | 4,776 | 8% | $64,144 |
| Saint Edward's University | Austin, Texas | 2,493 | 81% | $51,384 |
| Southern University at New Orleans | New Orleans, Louisiana | 1,055 | 79% | $8,054 in-state · $16,954 out-of-state |
| St. Mary's University | San Antonio, Texas | 1,951 | 98% | $37,434 |
| Texas A & M International University | Laredo, Texas | 6,667 | 44% | $7,894 in-state · $19,454 out-of-state |
| Texas A & M University–Corpus Christi | Corpus Christi, Texas | 8,034 | 89% | $9,748 in-state · $20,794 out-of-state |
| Texas A&M University–San Antonio | San Antonio, Texas | 6,599 | 93% | $9,654 in-state · $23,255 out-of-state |
| Texas Christian University | Fort Worth, Texas | 11,026 | 44% | $61,740 |
| Texas Southern University | Houston, Texas | 6,844 | 97% | $9,173 in-state · $21,473 out-of-state |
| Texas Tech University | Lubbock, Texas | 32,394 | 73% | $11,852 in-state · $24,451 out-of-state |
| Texas Wesleyan University | Fort Worth, Texas | 1,741 | 69% | $39,582 |
| The University of Texas at Arlington | Arlington, Texas | 32,294 | 80% | $11,950 in-state · $29,582 out-of-state |
| The University of Texas at Austin | Austin, Texas | 42,855 | 27% | $11,688 in-state · $44,908 out-of-state |
| The University of Texas at El Paso | El Paso, Texas | 21,005 | 100% | $9,744 in-state · $25,502 out-of-state |
| The University of Texas at San Antonio | San Antonio, Texas | 30,580 | 87% | $9,011 in-state · $22,051 out-of-state |
| Trinity University | San Antonio, Texas | 2,505 | 26% | $53,676 |
| Tulane University of Louisiana | New Orleans, Louisiana | 7,767 | 14% | $68,678 |
| University of Dallas | Irving, Texas | 1,403 | 53% | $53,930 |
| University of Houston | Houston, Texas | 38,380 | 74% | $9,717 in-state · $22,547 out-of-state |
| University of Houston–Downtown | Houston, Texas | 12,555 | 90% | $7,708 in-state · $17,548 out-of-state |
| University of New Orleans | New Orleans, Louisiana | 4,638 | 74% | $9,172 in-state · $14,008 out-of-state |
| University of North Texas at Dallas | Dallas, Texas | 2,878 | 84% | $9,595 in-state · $21,894 out-of-state |
| University of Tulsa | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 2,813 | 62% | $50,061 |
| University of the Incarnate Word | San Antonio, Texas | 4,440 | 98% | $37,090 |
| Xavier University of Louisiana | New Orleans, Louisiana | 2,628 | 69% | $28,733 |
Sources: IPEDS (fall 2024 enrollment and admissions); College Scorecard (published tuition and fees before aid, about 2023–24). You may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships.
Related lists
- Big-City Colleges
- Big-City Colleges in the Northeast
- Big-City Colleges in the Southeast
- Big-City Colleges in the Midwest
- Big-City Colleges in the Mountain West
- Big-City Colleges on the West Coast
- Liberal Arts Colleges in the South and Southwest
- Large Public Universities in the South and Southwest
- Smaller Public Universities in the South and Southwest
- Smaller Private Universities in the South and Southwest
- HBCUs in the South and Southwest
- Christian Colleges in the South and Southwest
- Colleges with Big-Time Sports in the South and Southwest
- Division I Colleges in the South and Southwest
FAQ
Which big-city colleges in the South and Southwest admit at least half of applicants? 23 of the 31: Dallas Baptist University, Houston Christian University, Loyola University New Orleans, Oral Roberts University, Saint Edward's University, Southern University at New Orleans, St. Mary's University, Texas A & M University–Corpus Christi, Texas A&M University–San Antonio, Texas Southern University, Texas Tech University, Texas Wesleyan University and 11 more (fall 2024).
What are the largest and smallest big-city colleges in the South and Southwest? The University of Texas at Austin is the largest, with 42,855 undergraduates, and Huston-Tillotson University is the smallest, with 1,005 (fall 2024).
How many big-city colleges in the South and Southwest are public? 14 of the 31 are public and 17 are private.
Where these numbers come from
Lens covers the 850 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges that receive the most applications, so some smaller colleges are not listed. Enrollment, acceptance rates and degrees come from IPEDS (U.S. Department of Education, fall 2024); published prices from the College Scorecard. Each college's page lists its own sources. See the data behind Lens.