Lens covers 45 Division I colleges in the South and Southwest, 35 public and 10 private. They range from University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (1,807 undergraduates) to Texas A&M University–College Station (59,615). Acceptance rates run from 8% to 100%, and 38 of the 45 admit at least half of applicants.
Division I colleges compete in NCAA Division I, with or without football (Equity in Athletics, 2024–25). In Lens, the South and Southwest means Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.
Open these 45 colleges in the College Filter → Narrow them by cost at your rate, majors, size and more.
The 45 Division I colleges in the South and Southwest
Listed A to Z. Lens never ranks colleges.
| College | Location | Undergraduates | Acceptance rate | Tuition & fees (before aid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene Christian University | Abilene, Texas | 3,195 | 66% | $44,200 |
| Arkansas State University | Jonesboro, Arkansas | 9,110 | 82% | $8,090 in-state · $14,522 out-of-state |
| Baylor University | Waco, Texas | 14,785 | 51% | $58,100 |
| East Texas A&M University | Commerce, Texas | 9,912 | 92% | $10,026 in-state · $22,326 out-of-state |
| Grambling State University | Grambling, Louisiana | 4,164 | 45% | $7,683 in-state · $16,706 out-of-state |
| Houston Christian University | Houston, Texas | 2,886 | 84% | $39,430 |
| Lamar University | Beaumont, Texas | 8,150 | 86% | $8,905 in-state · $18,745 out-of-state |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | 30,594 | 73% | $11,954 in-state · $28,631 out-of-state |
| Louisiana Tech University | Ruston, Louisiana | 8,312 | 86% | $10,125 in-state · $16,866 out-of-state |
| McNeese State University | Lake Charles, Louisiana | 5,005 | 78% | $8,489 in-state · $9,989 out-of-state |
| Nicholls State University | Thibodaux, Louisiana | 4,737 | 91% | $8,149 in-state · $9,242 out-of-state |
| Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, Oklahoma | 21,773 | 75% | $10,234 in-state · $25,754 out-of-state |
| Oral Roberts University | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 3,487 | 99% | $35,470 |
| Prairie View A & M University | Prairie View, Texas | 8,877 | 79% | $11,299 in-state · $26,874 out-of-state |
| Rice University | Houston, Texas | 4,776 | 8% | $64,144 |
| Sam Houston State University | Huntsville, Texas | 17,743 | 90% | $9,228 in-state · $19,068 out-of-state |
| Southeastern Louisiana University | Hammond, Louisiana | 9,514 | 99% | $8,373 in-state · $20,851 out-of-state |
| Southern Methodist University | Dallas, Texas | 7,277 | 63% | $67,040 |
| Southern University and A & M College | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | 5,519 | 35% | $9,922 in-state · $17,272 out-of-state |
| Stephen F Austin State University | Nacogdoches, Texas | 8,728 | 94% | $11,128 in-state · $23,426 out-of-state |
| Tarleton State University | Stephenville, Texas | 12,673 | 90% | $8,302 in-state · $18,142 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–College Station | College Station, Texas | 59,615 | 57% | $13,154 in-state · $40,124 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 State University | San Marcos, Texas | 36,177 | 89% | $11,450 in-state · $22,930 out-of-state |
| Texas Tech University | Lubbock, Texas | 32,394 | 73% | $11,852 in-state · $24,451 out-of-state |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Edinburg, Texas | 28,666 | 94% | $9,987 in-state · $19,827 out-of-state |
| 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 |
| Tulane University of Louisiana | New Orleans, Louisiana | 7,767 | 14% | $68,678 |
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, Arkansas | 28,677 | 74% | $10,104 in-state · $29,966 out-of-state |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock | Little Rock, Arkansas | 4,949 | 59% | $9,748 in-state · $22,158 out-of-state |
| University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | Pine Bluff, Arkansas | 1,807 | 41% | $9,412 in-state · $17,992 out-of-state |
| University of Central Arkansas | Conway, Arkansas | 7,762 | 89% | $10,523 in-state · $18,023 out-of-state |
| University of Houston | Houston, Texas | 38,380 | 74% | $9,717 in-state · $22,547 out-of-state |
| University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Lafayette, Louisiana | 12,428 | 87% | $10,418 in-state · $24,146 out-of-state |
| University of Louisiana at Monroe | Monroe, Louisiana | 5,022 | 85% | $9,190 in-state · $21,290 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 | Denton, Texas | 34,341 | 72% | $11,309 in-state · $21,149 out-of-state |
| University of Oklahoma | Norman, Oklahoma | 22,734 | 77% | $9,797 in-state · $27,377 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 |
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
- Division I Colleges
- Division I Colleges in the Northeast
- Division I Colleges in the Southeast
- Division I Colleges in the Midwest
- Division I Colleges in the Mountain West
- Division I 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 II Colleges in the South and Southwest
FAQ
Which Division I colleges in the South and Southwest admit at least half of applicants? 38 of the 45: Abilene Christian University, Arkansas State University, Baylor University, East Texas A&M University, Houston Christian University, Lamar University, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College, Louisiana Tech University, McNeese State University, Nicholls State University, Oklahoma State University, Oral Roberts University and 26 more (fall 2024).
What are the largest and smallest Division I colleges in the South and Southwest? Texas A&M University–College Station is the largest, with 59,615 undergraduates, and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is the smallest, with 1,807 (fall 2024).
How many Division I colleges in the South and Southwest are public? 35 of the 45 are public and 10 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.