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Most selective colleges in Texas

Updated Federal and Common Data Set numbers, each with its year

The short answer

The most selective four-year colleges in Texas are Rice (8% admitted), UT Austin (22% admitted) and Trinity University (25% admitted), by acceptance rate.

Selective here means a low acceptance rate: the share of applicants the college admitted. A low rate says how many people a college turns away, not how good a fit it is for you. Each row also shows the average price after grants.

The list (25 of 70)

Four-year colleges in Texas with 500 or more undergraduates, lowest acceptance rate first. The list shows 25 of the 70 colleges with an acceptance rate on file. Rates come from IPEDS (fall 2024) for 17 colleges and each college's own Common Data Set (fall 2025) for 8 colleges.

  1. Rice University 8% admitted Houston, TX · Average price after grants: $11,164 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  2. University of Texas at Austin 22% admitted Austin, TX · Average price after grants: $18,554 a year in-state, about $51,714 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  3. Trinity University 25% admitted San Antonio, TX · Average price after grants: $22,962 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  4. LeTourneau University 38% admitted Longview, TX · Average price after grants: $26,985 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  5. Huston-Tillotson University 39% admitted Austin, TX · Average price after grants: $32,089 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  6. Paul Quinn College 40% admitted Dallas, TX · Average price after grants: $14,147 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  7. Southwestern University 44% admitted Georgetown, TX · Average price after grants: $29,435 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  8. Texas A&M International University 44% admitted Laredo, TX · Average price after grants: $336 a year in-state, about $11,777 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  9. Austin College 48% admitted Sherman, TX · Average price after grants: $20,077 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  10. Texas Christian University 48% admitted Fort Worth, TX · Average price after grants: $35,045 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  11. Hallmark University 51% admitted San Antonio, TX · Average price after grants: $13,495 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  12. Texas A&M University 52% admitted College Station, TX · Average price after grants: $21,527 a year in-state, about $48,347 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  13. Baylor University 52% admitted Waco, TX · Average price after grants: $44,441 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  14. University of Dallas 53% admitted Irving, TX · Average price after grants: $68,064 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  15. Wayland Baptist University 56% admitted Plainview, TX · Average price after grants: $23,421 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  16. McMurry University 57% admitted Abilene, TX · Average price after grants: $19,021 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  17. East Texas Baptist University 58% admitted Marshall, TX · Average price after grants: $23,414 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  18. Southern Methodist University 63% admitted Dallas, TX · Average price after grants: $39,816 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  19. Texas A&M University-Texarkana 64% admitted Texarkana, TX · Average price after grants: $16,934 a year in-state, about $29,591 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  20. The University of Texas at Dallas 65% admitted Richardson, TX · Average price after grants: $15,271 a year in-state, about $40,771 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  21. Abilene Christian University 66% admitted Abilene, TX · Average price after grants: $27,943 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  22. Howard Payne University 67% admitted Brownwood, TX · Average price after grants: $26,563 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  23. Texas Wesleyan University 69% admitted Fort Worth, TX · Average price after grants: $16,168 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  24. University of North Texas 72% admitted Denton, TX · Average price after grants: $15,358 a year in-state, about $25,078 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  25. Texas Tech University 73% admitted Lubbock, TX · Average price after grants: $19,890 a year in-state, about $32,489 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
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What are the most selective colleges in Texas?

The most selective four-year colleges in Texas are Rice (8% admitted), UT Austin (22% admitted) and Trinity University (25% admitted), by acceptance rate.

How many colleges on this list admit fewer than half of applicants?

10 of the 25 colleges listed admitted fewer than half of their applicants.

How recent are these acceptance rates?

Each row shows its year. Rates come from IPEDS, the federal college survey, for students who applied for fall 2024, or from the college's own Common Data Set for fall 2025 where that is newer.

Numbers change each year when colleges and the Department of Education publish new data. Confirm costs and admission rules with the college before you apply.

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