2023 Best Schools for the Money (No Aid) in the Southwest Region
It's not easy to decide which school to attend when you have so many options available. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
See What's Included in This Value Report:
- Our Methodology
- Top 25 Best Value Schools List
- Rest of the Top 15% Best Value Schools List
- Customize Your Rankings
Finding Your Best College Match
We analyzed 246 schools across the Southwest Region to determine which have the best value programs. To come up with this ranking of the best value schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
Our Methodology
Our Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region ranking is determined by first looking at the combined costs of average tuition, fees, and room and board before any aid is applied. But, a school that excels in providing value for your money must also be a great school overall as well.
To account for this we consider a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a combination of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
We go into more detail on these factors on our best value ranking methodology page.
More Rankings to View
Keep scrolling for the top schools in this ranking or select one of the other rankings methods below.
If you know what major you want to study, check out our list of the best value schools by major. If you're interested in other degree levels, you can view one of the lists below.
- Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region
- Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region
- Best Master’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region
- Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region
Best Value Schools (No Aid) in the Southwest Region
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Lee College to be the best value (no aid) school in the Southwest Region in this year’s ranking. Baytown, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Lee College has the honor of being ranked #8 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $10,320 a year. The average cost without aid for the school is $6,018 per year for graduate students.
Out of the 246 schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Phoenix - Arizona landed the #2 spot on the list. UOPX - Arizona is located in Tempe, Arizona and has a large student population. It is a private for-profit school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of Phoenix - Arizona is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Arizona. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $15,402 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $22,003 a year.
The quality degree programs at Central Texas College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region. Central Texas College is a medium-sized public school located in Killeen, Texas.
Not only is Central Texas College a great value, but it is also ranked #16 in Texas for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $13,611 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $6,171 per year for graduate students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region list. San Antonio, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $32,694 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $24,448 a year.
Full The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Value Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Central New Mexico Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region list. CNM is a public institution located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Not only is Central New Mexico Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in New Mexico for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $14,962 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $7,422 a year.
Read full value report on Central New Mexico Community College
With a ranking of #6, Grand Canyon University did quite well on the 2023 Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region list. Grand Canyon University is a private for-profit institution located in Phoenix, Arizona.
Not only is Grand Canyon University a great value, but it is also ranked #4 in Arizona for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $24,989 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $19,338 per year for graduate students.
Collin County Community College District ranked #7 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region list. Collin County Community College District is a large public school situated in McKinney, Texas.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Collin County Community College District is ranked #22 for quality in the state of Texas. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $14,188 a year. The average cost without aid for the school is $9,084 per year for graduate students.
McLennan Community College did quite well in the 2023 Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #8. This medium-sized public school is located in Waco, Texas.
Not only is McLennan Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #27 in Texas for overall quality. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $13,317 a year. The average cost without aid for the school is $7,407 per year for graduate students.
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in Dallas, Texas, the school is a small public institution.
The average cost without aid for the school is $11,000 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $28,845 a year.
Learn More About Value at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center ranked #10 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region list. Located in Lubbock, Texas, the school is a medium-sized public institution.
The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $33,230 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $30,056 a year.
Read full value report on Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Houston Community College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region list. Houston Community College is located in Houston, Texas and has a large student population. It is a public school.
Not only is Houston Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #26 in Texas for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $14,540 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $9,080 per year for graduate students.
Rio Salado College did quite well in the 2023 Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Tempe, Arizona, the school is a fairly large public institution.
Not only is Rio Salado College a great value, but it is also ranked #8 in Arizona for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $15,406 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $7,552 per year for graduate students.
The University of Texas Medical Branch ranked #13 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region list. Galveston, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
The average cost without aid for the school is $34,692 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $32,997 a year.
Central Arizona College did quite well in the 2023 Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #14. Pinal County Community College is located in Coolidge, Arizona and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Central Arizona College has the honor of being ranked #12 in Arizona for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $12,460 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $7,300 a year.
Texas State Technical College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region list. Texas State Technical College is a fairly large public school located in Waco, Texas.
Texas State Technical College has the honor of being ranked #14 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $20,441 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $9,072 a year.
With a ranking of #16, Panola College did quite well on the 2023 Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region list. Panola College is a public institution located in Carthage, Texas.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Panola College is ranked #49 for quality in the state of Texas. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $9,940 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $5,260 a year.
El Centro College landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region ranking. El Centro College is a public institution located in Dallas, Texas.
El Centro College has the honor of being ranked #23 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $16,836 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $10,836 per year for graduate students.
GateWay Community College landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region ranking. GateWay Community College is located in Phoenix, Arizona and has a small student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, GateWay Community College is ranked #9 for quality in the state of Arizona. The average cost without aid for the school is $16,350 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $8,496 per year for graduate students.
West Coast University - Dallas ranked #19 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region list. This small private for-profit school is located in Dallas, Texas.
The average cost without aid for the school is $25,354 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $18,916 a year.
Cochise County Community College District ranked #20 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region list. Cochise County Community College District is a small public school located in Sierra Vista, Arizona.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Cochise County Community College District is ranked #13 for quality in the state of Arizona. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $13,602 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $7,362 a year.
Learn More About Value at Cochise County Community College District
Arizona State University - Skysong ranked #21 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region list. ASU - Skysong is a large public school situated in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Not only is Arizona State University - Skysong a great value, but it is also ranked #7 in Arizona for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $24,092 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $20,982 a year.
South Texas College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region ranking. South Texas College is a public institution located in McAllen, Texas.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, South Texas College is ranked #39 for quality in the state of Texas. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $14,352 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $6,432 a year.
San Jacinto Community College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region list. San Jacinto College is a large public school situated in Pasadena, Texas.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, San Jacinto Community College is ranked #46 for quality in the state of Texas. The average cost without aid for the school is $13,486 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $8,446 a year.
Dallas Theological Seminary ranked #24 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region list. DTS Dallas is located in Dallas, Texas and has a small student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $11,000 a year. The average cost without aid for the school is $29,533 per year for graduate students.
Tarrant County College District ranked #25 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region list. Tarrant County College is located in Fort Worth, Texas and has a large student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Tarrant County College District is ranked #33 for quality in the state of Texas. The average cost without aid for the school is $17,882 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $9,647 a year.
Rest of the Top 15% Value Schools (No Aid) in the Southwest Region
Not only did these schools make the top 37 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
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Honorable Mentions
These schools also performed well in our Best Colleges for the Money in the Southwest Region ranking:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | Lone Star College System | The Woodlands, TX | Value Report |
| 39 | Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell Campus | Roswell, NM | Value Report |
| 40 | New Mexico State University - Dona Ana | Las Cruces, NM | Value Report |
| 41 | San Antonio College | San Antonio, TX | Value Report |
| 42 | Angelina College | Lufkin, TX | Value Report |
| 43 | Blinn College | Brenham, TX | Value Report |
| 44 | Midland College | Midland, TX | Value Report |
| 45 | Victoria College | Victoria, TX | Value Report |
| 46 | El Paso Community College | El Paso, TX | Value Report |
| 47 | Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology | Okmulgee, OK | Value Report |
| 48 | Navarro College | Corsicana, TX | Value Report |
| 49 | University of North Texas | Denton, TX | Value Report |
| 50 | Northern Arizona University | Flagstaff, AZ | Value Report |
| 50 | South Plains College | Levelland, TX | Value Report |
More Southwest Rankings
Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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