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Top 10 Most Underrated Colleges in the Southwest
What’s Covered:
Parents and students often seek out name-brand schools. In the Southwest, many associate schools like Rice University with prestige, with its low acceptance rate of 11%. However, there are many other schools with a strong return on investment (ROI) that can also offer you an excellent education and prepare you for a meaningful career.
Based on the data we’ve collected over the years, here are the 10 most underrated colleges in (and near) the American Southwestern.
How We Put This List Together
Traditional college rankings do a decent job of ranking the best universities, but some serious factors that get left out in those formulas. When we look to advise families on colleges that are underrated, our primary focus is on outcomes — more specifically financial outcomes like starting salary and ROI, as well as qualitative outcomes like job placements.
We took into consideration the following criteria:
- Cost of attendance and generosity of financial aid & scholarships
- One- and five-year ROI after graduation
- Financial performance of specific majors
- Qualitative data on career outcomes like job placements and grad school progression
The 10 Most Underrated Southwest Colleges
1. University of Houston
Location: Houston, TX
Acceptance Rate: 66%
Undergrad Enrollment: 37,900
Offering more than 300 degrees, the University of Houston often ranks within the top 150 universities in the U.S. UH also ranks among the top 50 for ROI. The university excels particularly in STEM fields, especially chemical and petroleum engineering.
Students who excel in school should have no problem securing a slot (and maybe even a scholarship) at UH. Like some other public universities in Texas, UH has assured admissions for high-achieving students, meaning you’re guaranteed admission if you’re in the top 10% of your high school class, or if you meet minimum standardized tests score and grade criteria.
Learn more about University of Houston and what it takes to get accepted.
2. University of Texas at Austin | UT Austin
Location: Austin, TX
Acceptance Rate: 29%
Undergrad Enrollment: 44,300
This prestigious public university is already very highly regarded; it’s frequently ranked within the top 30 national universities. Its ROI is even stronger with a position in the top 25.
Offering rigorous honors programs with research-oriented curricula across many fields, the university excels in numerous disciplines—especially business and STEM areas. There are many scholarships, including ones specific to the schools within the larger university.
Learn more about the University of Texas at Austin and what it takes to get accepted.
3. Texas Tech University | TTU
Location: Lubbock, TX
Acceptance Rate: 68%
Undergrad Enrollment: 34,000
Like the University of Houston, Texas Tech has assured admissions for students who meet certain academic standards, and it automatically grants scholarships based on the same criteria.
Texas Tech and its surrounding area are driven substantially by the oil and petroleum industries in Texas, and the university offers a strong engineering program. The university is generally ranked within the top 250 national universities, and is among the top 75 in terms of ROI.
Learn more about Texas Tech University and what it takes to get accepted.
4. Louisiana State University | LSU
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Acceptance Rate: 71%
Undergrad Enrollment: 32,000
Louisiana’s flagship university, LSU excels in STEM disciplines, especially chemical and petroleum engineering. LSU can prepare students for a career in an industry associated with the Louisiana oil corridor, which runs from Baton Rouge to New Orleans.
LSU is often ranked within the top 200 national universities and is among the top 70 in terms of ROI. The university offers numerous types of scholarships, ranging from $500 a year to a full ride, and boasts $1 billion in financial aid and scholarships awarded each year.
Learn more about Louisiana State University and what it takes to get accepted.
5. Louisiana Tech University | La. Tech
Location: Ruston, LA
Acceptance Rate: 66%
Undergrad Enrollment: 10,000
Louisiana Tech University is especially strong in STEM disciplines—particularly chemical and petroleum engineering—and the school emphasizes its diversity and high-impact learning practices.
As with LSU, students can take advantage of opportunities working with the Louisiana oil corridor. Louisiana Tech has partnerships with large and small businesses, enabling students to prepare for and find jobs. This is why it ranks among the top 50 schools with regard to ROI, though it falls outside the top 200 universities overall.
Learn more about Louisiana Tech University and what it takes to get accepted.
6. University of New Mexico
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Acceptance Rate: 80%
Undergrad Enrollment: 17,700
Notable for being New Mexico’s flagship university, the University of New Mexico is located in the heart of Albuquerque, offering a distinctive campus environment with a Pueblo Revival Architectural theme.
UNM generally ranked within the top 250 national universities and is among the top 100 for ROI. There are many scholarships available, especially for in-state students.
Learn more about the University of New Mexico and what it takes to get accepted.
7. The University of Texas at El Paso | UTEP
Location: El Paso, TX
Acceptance Rate: 99.9%
Undergrad Enrollment: 21,100
Among the top 150 for ROI, UTEP is strong in engineering, driven by the oil and petroleum industries in Texas. The university states that it “seeks to extend the greatest possible educational access to a region which has been geographically isolated with limited economic and educational opportunities for many of its people.” It ranks within the top 300 national universities.
Learn more about the University of Texas at El Paso and what it takes to get accepted.
8. Oklahoma State University
Location: Stillwater, OK
Acceptance Rate: 68%
Undergrad Enrollment: 22,300
With its main campus in Stillwater, Oklahoma State University offers plenty of resources to students from diverse backgrounds. The university is driven by the oil and petroleum industries in the state and is also a good engineering and pre-med option, appearing in the top 75 for ROI. OSU often ranks within the top 200 national universities.
Learn more about Oklahoma State University and what it takes to get accepted.
9. University of Arkansas
Location: Fayetteville, AR
Acceptance Rate: 83%
Undergrad Enrollment: 28,900
Located close to Bentonville, where Walmart is based, the University of Arkansas is among the top 75 in terms of ROI and ranks within the top 200 national universities.
UArk sits on a hilltop overlooking the Ozark mountains. It boasts as a graduate and former president J. William Fulbright, creator of the Fulbright Scholarship Program. UArk business and engineering programs are particularly notable.
Learn more about the University of Arkansas and what it takes to get accepted.
10. University of Oklahoma
Location: Norman, OK
Acceptance Rate: 85%
Undergrad Enrollment: 22,000
Among public universities, the University of Oklahoma ranks first in enrollment of National Merit Scholars and among the top ten state schools in Rhodes Scholars graduates. It has an ROI in the top 75 and ranks in the top 120 national universities. The school boasts a strong engineering program and has an honors college in addition to 170 academic programs.
Learn more about the University of Oklahoma and what it takes to get accepted.
For More Information
With these schools in mind, you may have found a college that aligns with your future med school goals. At CollegeVine, we’re committed to making college guidance accessible to all who want it. That’s why, on our college applications guidance platform, you can use our free chancing engine, build a best-fit school list, and learn how to improve your profile—all for free.
Sign up for a CollegeVine account today to get a boost on your journey to a college as a pre-med. Also check out Sage, our AI tutor and advisor, who can improve your chances of acceptance to your dream school by helping you show what you have to offer beyond the numbers!
