by our College Data Analytics TeamIf you’re seeking a diverse and multi-faceted college experience, you’ve come to the right place. This list highlights 605 schools that stand out for their student bodies in Southwest, using our 2026 methodology.
This ranking is based on the economic backgrounds of the student body (the mix of income levels). To help you decide, College Factual evaluated 605 colleges, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Not every student measures diversity the same way. Narrow your list by location, or explore the overall, racial-ethnic, gender, economic, and age diversity rankings, or other rankings below.
Looking to pit your favorite colleges against each other? We built a tool called College Combat to weigh schools on the factors you care about most.
Here are the top-ranked colleges:
Crestpoint University earned the #1 spot in this year's Most Economically Diverse Colleges ranking in Southwest. Crestpoint University scores 100.0 out of 100 for economic diversity. Its racial-ethnic diversity score is 52.5, and gender diversity 64.6.
A rank of #2 makes Texas A&M University-Central Texas one of the most economically diverse colleges in Southwest. Texas A&M University-Central Texas scores 100.0 out of 100 for economic diversity. On racial-ethnic diversity it scores 67.2, and gender diversity 96.5.
Empire Beauty School-Tucson came in at #3 on this year's Most Economically Diverse Colleges ranking in Southwest. On economic diversity, it scores 100.0 out of 100. Its racial-ethnic diversity score is 57.4, and gender diversity 24.2.
You'll find a welcoming community at New Mexico State University-Dona Ana, which ranked #4 this year. It scores 100.0 out of 100 for economic diversity. On racial-ethnic diversity it scores 45.0, and gender diversity 97.0.
A rank of #5 makes Arizona Western College one of the most economically diverse colleges in Southwest. The school's economic diversity score is 100.0 out of 100. On racial-ethnic diversity it scores 48.2, and gender diversity 98.5.
Pima Medical Institute-Tucson placed #6 among the most economically diverse colleges in Southwest. It scores 100.0 out of 100 for economic diversity. On racial-ethnic diversity it scores 69.2, alongside a 73.0 gender-diversity score.
Xtylo Beauty College earned the #7 position in Southwest. Xtylo Beauty College scores 100.0 out of 100 for economic diversity.
Southern Nazarene University earned the #8 position in Southwest. Southern Nazarene University scores 100.0 out of 100 for economic diversity. On racial-ethnic diversity it scores 67.1, alongside a 98.5 gender-diversity score.
Cameron University came in at #9 in this year's ranking. It scores 100.0 out of 100 for economic diversity. Its racial-ethnic diversity score is 73.6, alongside a 94.4 gender-diversity score.
Redlands Community College earned the #10 position in Southwest. The school's economic diversity score is 100.0 out of 100. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 55.9, alongside a 94.7 gender-diversity score.
Oklahoma Panhandle State University placed #11 among the most economically diverse colleges in Southwest. Oklahoma Panhandle State University scores 100.0 out of 100 for economic diversity. Its racial-ethnic diversity score is 64.4, with a gender-diversity score of 96.8.
Navarro College landed the #12 spot in Southwest this year. On economic diversity, it scores 100.0 out of 100. On racial-ethnic diversity it scores 57.5, alongside a 95.7 gender-diversity score.
Paris Junior College ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the most economically diverse colleges. Paris Junior College scores 100.0 out of 100 for economic diversity. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 55.9, with a gender-diversity score of 95.4.
Texas State Technical College came in at #14 in this year's ranking. The school's economic diversity score is 100.0 out of 100. Its racial-ethnic diversity score is 57.5, alongside a 88.8 gender-diversity score.
Pima Medical Institute-Mesa earned the #15 position in Southwest. On economic diversity, it scores 100.0 out of 100. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 68.1, with a gender-diversity score of 84.0.
Baldwin Beauty School - South Austin ranked #16 on our 2026 list of the most economically diverse colleges. The school's economic diversity score is 100.0 out of 100.
Aveda Institute - New Mexico landed the #17 spot in Southwest this year. Aveda Institute - New Mexico scores 100.0 out of 100 for economic diversity. Its racial-ethnic diversity score is 41.9, and gender diversity 28.7.
University of Houston-Victoria came in at #18 in this year's ranking. University of Houston-Victoria scores 100.0 out of 100 for economic diversity. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 69.5, alongside a 93.1 gender-diversity score.
Elite Welding Academy placed #19 among the most economically diverse colleges in Southwest. On economic diversity, it scores 100.0 out of 100.
Glitz School of Cosmetology - Santa Fe Campus ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the most economically diverse colleges. It scores 100.0 out of 100 for economic diversity.
International Barber College landed the #21 spot in Southwest this year. International Barber College scores 100.0 out of 100 for economic diversity.
Sessions College for Professional Design landed the #22 spot in Southwest this year. On economic diversity, it scores 100.0 out of 100. On racial-ethnic diversity it scores 62.0, with a gender-diversity score of 92.9.
New Mexico Highlands University ranked #23 on our 2026 list of the most economically diverse colleges. It scores 100.0 out of 100 for economic diversity. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 64.3, and gender diversity 91.2.
Pima Medical Institute-San Antonio placed #24 among the most economically diverse colleges in Southwest. Pima Medical Institute-San Antonio scores 100.0 out of 100 for economic diversity. Its racial-ethnic diversity score is 55.1, alongside a 63.6 gender-diversity score.
Universal Technical Institute of Arizona Inc earned the #25 position in Southwest. It scores 100.0 out of 100 for economic diversity. Racial-ethnic diversity scores 69.7, with a gender-diversity score of 35.6.
These colleges rounded out the top of the list:
Explore the rest of the top 20% below:
| Rank | College | Economic Diversity Score |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Cochise County Community College District | 99.9 |
| 52 | Mohave Community College | 99.9 |
| 53 | Dine College | 99.9 |
| 54 | East Central University | 99.9 |
| 55 | Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology | 99.9 |
| 56 | University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma | 99.9 |
| 57 | Seminole State College | 99.9 |
| 58 | Jacksonville College-Main Campus | 99.9 |
| 59 | Panola College | 99.9 |
| 60 | MediaTech Institute-Dallas | 99.9 |
| 61 | Southern Oklahoma Technology Center | 99.9 |
| 62 | Lamar Institute of Technology | 99.9 |
| 63 | Angelo State University | 99.9 |
| 64 | Galveston College | 99.9 |
| 65 | CTK Healthcare & Career Institute | 99.9 |
| Rank | College | Economic Diversity Score |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Mystros Barber Academy | 99.9 |
| 67 | Brookline College-Albuquerque | 99.7 |
| 68 | Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development | 99.7 |
| 69 | San Juan College | 99.7 |
| 70 | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center-El Paso | 99.7 |
| 71 | Grand Canyon University | 99.7 |
| 72 | Universal Technical Institute-Phoenix | 99.7 |
| 73 | South Mountain Community College | 99.7 |
| 74 | Dallas Barber & Stylist College | 99.7 |
| 75 | Tucson College of Beauty | 99.7 |
| 76 | Champion Beauty College | 99.7 |
| 77 | Arizona Culinary Institute | 99.7 |
| 78 | Rose State College | 99.7 |
| 79 | Southwestern Christian University | 99.7 |
| 80 | Howard Payne University | 99.7 |
| 81 | Lamar University | 99.7 |
| 82 | Lamar State College-Port Arthur | 99.7 |
| 83 | Texas Wesleyan University | 99.7 |
| 84 | Tyler Junior College | 99.7 |
| 85 | Chamberlain University-Arizona | 99.7 |
| 86 | Galen Health Institutes-Dallas | 99.7 |
| 87 | Pima Medical Institute-Phoenix | 99.7 |
| 88 | Wayland Baptist University | 99.7 |
| 89 | Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe | 99.7 |
| 90 | Paul Mitchell the School Houston | 99.7 |
| Rank | College | Economic Diversity Score |
|---|---|---|
| 91 | Paul Mitchell the School Tulsa | 99.7 |
These colleges narrowly missed the top tiers:
| Rank | College | Economic Diversity Score |
|---|---|---|
| 92 | Arlington Baptist University | 99.7 |
| 93 | Baptist Health System School of Health Professions | 99.7 |
| 94 | Central Texas College | 99.7 |
| 95 | Texas A&M University-Texarkana | 99.7 |
| 96 | Hallmark University | 99.7 |
| 97 | Houston Community College | 99.7 |
| 98 | Austin Career Institute | 99.7 |
| 99 | Hair Arts Institute | 99.7 |
| 100 | Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Austin | 99.5 |
| 101 | Chamberlain University-Texas | 99.5 |
| 102 | DeVry University-Texas | 99.5 |
| 103 | Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus | 99.5 |
| 104 | Aveda Institute - San Antonio | 99.5 |
| 105 | A Better U Beauty Barber Academy | 99.5 |
| 106 | Avenue Five Institute | 99.5 |
| Rank | College | Economic Diversity Score |
|---|---|---|
| 107 | Paul Mitchell the School Phoenix | 99.5 |
| 108 | Paul Mitchell the School Austin | 99.5 |
| 109 | Tulsa Community College | 99.5 |
| 110 | University of the Incarnate Word | 99.5 |
| 111 | Southwestern Adventist University | 99.5 |
| 112 | Vernon College | 99.5 |
| 113 | Mid Cities Barber College | 99.5 |
| 114 | Mid-Del Technology Center | 99.5 |
| 115 | Arizona School of Integrative Studies | 99.5 |
| 116 | Grayson College | 99.5 |
| 117 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | 99.5 |
| 118 | Legends Barber College | 99.5 |
| 119 | Texas A&M University-San Antonio | 99.3 |
| 120 | North American University | 99.3 |
| 121 | West Coast University-Texas | 99.3 |
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
Our ranking weighs the economic backgrounds of the student body (the mix of income levels). The racial-ethnic minorities percentage is calculated by taking the total number of students, subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity is unknown, and dividing by total enrollment.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.
