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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Public Policy in the Southwest Region

17 Ranked Colleges
585 Degrees Awarded
$33,200 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 6,430 people earned their degree in public policy, making the major the 113th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, public policy graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $49,451 and had an average of $21,866 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southwest region, there were 585 public policy graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,714 and $21,641 respectively.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region” ranking analyzed 17 colleges that offered a degree in public policy. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in public policy.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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The public policy school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region”.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region”.

Top 17 Most Focused Colleges for Public Policy in the Southwest Region

1
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Rice University. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region. Located in Houston, Texas, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 34 diplomas to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Rice Public Policy Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Methodist University. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region. Southern Methodist University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Dallas, Texas. It awarded 49 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Policy at SMU

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of St. Thomas. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region list. University of St. Thomas is located in Houston, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 ’s public policy degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Policy at UST

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Dallas Baptist University. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region. Dallas Baptist University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Dallas, Texas. It awarded 10 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Dallas Baptist University Public Policy Report

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Arizona State University - Skysong. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region. Scottsdale, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 98 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Public Policy at ASU - Skysong

6

University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region ranking. USAO is a public institution located in Chickasha, Oklahoma. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Public Policy at University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma

7

The University of Texas at Austin came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region ranking. The University of Texas at Austin is a large school located in Austin, Texas that handed out 115 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full The University of Texas at Austin Public Policy Report

8

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #8. The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston is a public institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 10 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Public Policy at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

9

Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #9. Arizona State University - Tempe is located in Tempe, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 124 ’s public policy degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Arizona State University - Tempe Public Policy Report

10

The University of Texas at Dallas came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region ranking. The University of Texas at Dallas is located in Richardson, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 52 ’s public policy degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Policy at The University of Texas at Dallas

11

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #11. University of Oklahoma is located in Norman, Oklahoma and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 27 ’s public policy degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Public Policy Report

12
UH crest
University of Houston
Houston, Texas

University of Houston ranked #12 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region list. Houston, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Policy at University of Houston

13

University of New Mexico - Main Campus ranked #13 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region list. UNM is a public institution located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Public Policy at University of New Mexico - Main Campus

14

Texas A&M University - College Station ranked #14 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region list. Located in College Station, Texas, this large public school handed out 15 diplomas to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Public Policy at Texas A&M University - College Station

15
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

With a ranking of #15, University of Arizona did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region list. University of Arizona is a public institution located in Tucson, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 8 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Public Policy at University of Arizona

16
Baylor crest
Baylor University
Waco, Texas

Baylor University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region list. Waco, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Baylor University Public Policy Report

17

The University of Texas at Arlington ranked #17 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southwest Region list. Located in Arlington, Texas, this large public school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Policy at The University of Texas at Arlington

Notes and References

References

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