by our College Data Analytics TeamWith all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take when you want to pursue a degree. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region ranking is part of that endeavor.
In This Year's Value Report:
Our analysis looked at 95 schools in the Southwest Region to determine which ones have the best value Associate Degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best value schools. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
To calculate the value of a school in our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region ranking, we first consider its average net price of students from families making over $110k a year. The net price is the sum of room and board, tuition, and fees minus any financial aid that that the student receives. In addition, the overall quality of a school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how much it costs.
To make it into this list a school must offer a quality education like the schools in our Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considers factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
We go into more detail on these factors on our best value ranking methodology page.
You can scroll down to see the top schools for this ranking, but you may also want to view some of the other ranking methods listed below.
Know what field you want to major in? Make sure you check out our best value schools by major. In addition, you can select one of the links below to see the best value colleges for other degree levels.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Lee College tops this year’s ranking as the best value (income over $110k) school for associate degrees in the Southwest Region for overall quality. Baytown, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Not only is Lee College a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $9,199.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend El Centro College. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region list. Located in Dallas, Texas, the school is a large public institution.
Not only is El Centro College a great value, but it is also ranked #7 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $8,071.
The quality degree programs at Central New Mexico Community College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region. Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the school is a fairly large public institution.
Not only is Central New Mexico Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in New Mexico for overall quality. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $8,986.
Learn More About Value at Central New Mexico Community College
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Central Texas College. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region list. Central Texas College is a medium-sized public school situated in Killeen, Texas.
Central Texas College has the honor of being ranked #3 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $12,459.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Phoenix - Arizona. It ranked #5 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region list. University of Phoenix - Arizona is a large private for-profit school located in Phoenix, Arizona.
University of Phoenix - Arizona has the honor of being ranked #1 in Arizona for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $17,500.
McLennan Community College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region list. Waco, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
McLennan Community College has the honor of being ranked #11 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $9,626.
Pima Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region list. Pima Community College is a fairly large public school located in Tucson, Arizona.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Pima Community College is ranked #7 for quality in the state of Arizona. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $8,648.
Northwest Vista College landed the #8 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. Northwest Vista College is a public institution located in San Antonio, Texas.
Not only is Northwest Vista College a great value, but it is also ranked #8 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $10,911.
With a ranking of #9, Houston Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region list. Houston Community College is a large public school located in Houston, Texas.
Not only is Houston Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #5 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $11,948.
Amarillo College landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. This medium-sized public school is located in Amarillo, Texas.
Amarillo College has the honor of being ranked #25 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $6,592.
Lamar Institute of Technology ranked #11 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region list. This small public school is located in Beaumont, Texas.
Not only is Lamar Institute of Technology a great value, but it is also ranked #4 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $12,967.
Lamar State College - Orange did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #12. Lamar State College - Orange is located in Orange, Texas and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Not only is Lamar State College - Orange a great value, but it is also ranked #26 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $7,519.
Texas State Technical College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region list. Located in Waco, Texas, the school is a fairly large public institution.
Texas State Technical College has the honor of being ranked #2 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $16,183.
San Antonio College landed the #14 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. San Antonio College is a fairly large public school located in San Antonio, Texas.
Not only is San Antonio College a great value, but it is also ranked #12 in Texas for overall quality. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $11,372.
Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus landed the #15 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. Portales, New Mexico is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus has the honor of being ranked #2 in New Mexico for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $10,217.
Read full value report on Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus
Collin County Community College District landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. Collin County Community College District is located in McKinney, Texas and has a large student population. It is a public school.
Collin County Community College District has the honor of being ranked #10 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $12,642.
Read full value report on Collin County Community College District
Tarrant County College District landed the #17 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. Fort Worth, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Tarrant County College District has the honor of being ranked #15 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $11,302.
Austin Community College District came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. Austin Community College District is a large public school situated in Austin, Texas.
Not only is Austin Community College District a great value, but it is also ranked #16 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $11,981.
Grayson College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #19. Grayson College is a public institution located in Denison, Texas.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Grayson College is ranked #31 for quality in the state of Texas. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $7,767.
Tulsa Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #20. Tulsa Community College is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma and has a fairly large student population. It is a public school.
Not only is Tulsa Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #4 in Oklahoma for overall quality. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $9,671.
With a ranking of #21, Del Mar College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region list. Corpus Christi, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Del Mar College has the honor of being ranked #19 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $11,516.
With a ranking of #22, Odessa College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region list. Located in Odessa, Texas, the school is a medium-sized public institution.
Odessa College has the honor of being ranked #24 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $10,009.
New Mexico State University - Alamogordo came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. NMSU Alamogordo is a small public school situated in Alamogordo, New Mexico.
New Mexico State University - Alamogordo has the honor of being ranked #9 in New Mexico for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,290.
Cochise County Community College District landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. Sierra Vista, Arizona is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Cochise County Community College District is ranked #8 for quality in the state of Arizona. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $12,103.
Midland College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region list. Midland, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Midland College is ranked #38 for quality in the state of Texas. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $7,097.
View Best Value Associate Degree Schools (Income Over $110k) Nationwide >
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
