Most Affordable Private Colleges in Texas
Private nonprofit colleges rarely cost what their price tags say. Among the 38 we rank in Texas, the average net price runs from $7,092 to $41,104 a year, a range of $34,012.
The median net price is $22,693, $1,168 (5%) below the national median of $23,860 for private nonprofit colleges. Median tuition and fees are $34,982, but the median net price, which also counts room, board and books after grants, is $22,693, so aid more than covers the housing and living costs added on top of tuition.
Wiley University ranks first at $7,092, ahead of Jarvis Christian University ($9,825) and Texas College ($10,958).
How this list is built
A college appears here only if it meets every condition below.
- Colleges considered
- Private nonprofit 4-year colleges whose main award is the bachelor's degree
- Ranked by net price, lowest first. Ties are broken by larger undergraduate enrollment, then by name.
- Main campuses only, with at least 60% of core data fields reported
- Main campus located in Texas
- At least 500 undergraduate students enrolled (fall 2024)
- A reported net price value (schools without one are not ranked)
- This page is published only when at least 15 schools qualify; Texas has 38
- Data period
- Net price: average for students receiving aid, academic year 2023-24.
- Tuition and fees: full-time undergraduate sticker price, academic year 2024-25 (the same for in-state and out-of-state students).
- Net price by income: students with family income of $0 to $30,000, academic year 2023-24.
- Graduation rate: first-time, full-time students who started in fall 2018 (4-year) or fall 2021 (2-year), finishing within 150% of normal time.
- Earnings: median earnings four years after completing, measured in 2022 and 2023 for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 cohorts, in 2024 dollars.
- Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.
Showing all 38 qualifying schools. Select a column heading to re-sort the table.
| 1 | Wiley University Marshall, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $7,092 | $12,500 | $6,137 | 22% | $39,988 |
| 2 | Jarvis Christian University Hawkins, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $9,825 | $11,720 | $11,606 | 15% | $40,867 |
| 3 | Texas College Tyler, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $10,958 | $10,008 | $9,639 | 12% | $43,887 |
| 4 | Hallmark University San Antonio, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $12,513 | — | $10,662 | 67% | $59,410 |
| 5 | Paul Quinn College Dallas, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $12,709 | $13,498 | $11,443 | 33% | — |
| 6 | Rice University Houston, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $13,370 | $64,144 | $5,827 | 95% | $110,080 |
| 7 | Our Lady of the Lake University San Antonio, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $16,442 | $32,106 | $16,236 | 44% | $55,876 |
| 8 | North American University Stafford, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $18,721 | $15,436 | $18,720 | 29% | $56,795 |
| 9 | University of St Thomas (TX) Houston, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $19,359 | $34,634 | $18,441 | 69% | $66,137 |
| 10 | Hardin-Simmons University Abilene, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $19,555 | $32,960 | $13,822 | 48% | $53,769 |
| 11 | McMurry University Abilene, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $19,581 | $32,340 | $15,946 | 41% | $48,273 |
| 12 | Huston-Tillotson University Austin, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $19,719 | $26,709 | $19,219 | 35% | — |
| 13 | Wayland Baptist University Plainview, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $20,590 | $23,782 | $20,070 | 19% | $56,530 |
| 14 | Houston Christian University Houston, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $20,629 | $39,430 | $17,933 | 49% | $62,310 |
| 15 | Austin College Sherman, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $21,107 | $48,680 | $16,528 | 68% | $57,361 |
| 16 | St. Mary's University San Antonio, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $21,145 | $37,434 | $18,352 | 60% | $58,545 |
| 17 | Schreiner University Kerrville, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $21,507 | $39,266 | $17,863 | 43% | $58,631 |
| 18 | Nelson University Waxahachie, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $21,662 | $25,064 | $17,583 | 39% | $46,199 |
| 19 | University of Dallas Irving, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $22,610 | $53,930 | $12,711 | 70% | $61,870 |
| 20 | University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $22,775 | $37,090 | $19,260 | 51% | $63,004 |
| 21 | Southwestern Adventist University Keene, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $22,778 | $25,380 | $16,725 | 47% | $55,144 |
| 22 | Concordia University Texas Austin, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $23,131 | $23,500 | $18,764 | 42% | $64,701 |
| 23 | Trinity University San Antonio, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $23,464 | $53,676 | $10,356 | 83% | $67,249 |
| 24 | Howard Payne University Brownwood, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $23,627 | $34,982 | $24,043 | 30% | $50,567 |
| 25 | East Texas Baptist University Marshall, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $23,911 | $30,680 | $20,420 | 48% | $48,425 |
| 26 | Texas Wesleyan University Fort Worth, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $24,066 | $39,582 | $21,812 | 32% | $57,671 |
| 27 | Lubbock Christian University Lubbock, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $24,456 | $28,540 | $23,018 | 50% | $57,061 |
| 28 | Texas Lutheran University Seguin, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $24,654 | $36,230 | $20,512 | 55% | $56,629 |
| 29 | Saint Edward's University Austin, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $25,578 | $51,384 | $20,799 | 63% | $59,999 |
| 30 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Belton, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $26,106 | $32,020 | $22,089 | 51% | $61,024 |
| 31 | Abilene Christian University Abilene, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $26,182 | $44,200 | $20,285 | 60% | $59,305 |
| 32 | LeTourneau University Longview, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $28,185 | $37,160 | $22,785 | 60% | $65,664 |
| 33 | Dallas Baptist University Dallas, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $28,516 | $40,190 | $25,326 | 59% | $59,308 |
| 34 | Parker University Dallas, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $29,135 | $17,893 | $26,817 | 73% | $52,900 |
| 35 | Southwestern University Georgetown, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $29,224 | $53,813 | $22,478 | 71% | $59,994 |
| 36 | Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $36,660 | $61,740 | $17,956 | 86% | $76,188 |
| 37 | Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $40,892 | $67,040 | $23,544 | 84% | $95,051 |
| 38 | Baylor University Waco, TX Private nonprofit · 4-year | $41,104 | $58,100 | $22,024 | 80% | $69,608 |
How to compare these colleges
Do not rule out a private college because of its sticker price. Private colleges often discount heavily, and the net price shown here is what students who receive aid pay on average, including housing and books. Your own offer depends on your family income and the school's aid policy, so run each college's net price calculator and compare actual award letters.
Guides worth reading first
More lists for Texas
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Same list in nearby states
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Most affordable private colleges in California
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All 147 colleges in Texas See the national version of this ranking