College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
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2026 Best Best Schools in the Southwest Region

3 Colleges in the United States
355 Best Degrees Awarded
$61,002 Avg Early-Career Salary

Best programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. The schools below stand out for the quality of their best programs.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for best students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

Best Schools for Best in the Southwest Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall best education in the Southwest Region.

Top Schools in Best

1

Our analysis ranked The University Of Texas At Austin the best school in the country for a degree in best. Set in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 89%. About 215 best degrees were awarded at The University Of Texas At Austin in the most recent year. Graduates of the best program make about $57,819 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $21,275. See the full best program report for The University Of Texas At Austin

2
Rice University crest
Rice University
Houston, TX

Rice University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best best schools. Rice University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Houston. Roughly 95% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 93 best students who graduated with this degree at Rice University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, best degree recipients from Rice University generally make around $75,299. Rice University graduates carry a median of $11,904 in student loans. Read more about the best program at Rice University

3

Baylor University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in best, ranking #3. Located in the city of Waco, Baylor University is a very large private not-for-profit university. About 80% of students finish within six years. About 47 best degrees were awarded at Baylor University in the most recent year. Students who receive their best degree from Baylor University earn around $49,888 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $23,928. Get the full best details for Baylor University

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Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 6 schools evaluated.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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