by our College Data Analytics TeamIt's not easy to decide which school to attend when you have so many options available. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Best Southwest Region Schools For The Money For Those Making $0-$30k ranking - to help you make that decision. The amount of financial aid you could receive at various schools, including some with high sticker prices, may surprise you.
See What's Included in This Value Report:
After analyzing 259 schools in the Southwest Region , we came up with our list of those that offered the best value programs. To come up with this ranking of the best value schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
The first step of determing the value of a school in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region ranking is to look at the school's average net price for students with families that make $0-$30k a year. The net price is the sum of tuition, fees, and room and board minus any financial aid awarded to the student. But, a school that excels in providing value for your money must also be a great school overall as well.
To take this into account we include a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Find out more about our best value ranking methodology.
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.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2024 rankings named Rice University the best value (income $0-$30k) school in the Southwest Region . Houston, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Rice University has the honor of being ranked #1 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $5,578.
A rank of #2 on our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region list means Lee College is a great place for students working on their degree. Baytown, 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, Lee College is ranked #6 for quality in the state of Texas. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,786.
A rank of #3 on our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region list means South Texas College is a great place for students working on their degree. South Texas College is a large public school situated in McAllen, Texas.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, South Texas College is ranked #22 for quality in the state of Texas. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $1,000.
A rank of #4 on our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region list means El Centro College is a great place for students working on their degree. This large public school is located in Dallas, Texas.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, El Centro College is ranked #17 for quality in the state of Texas. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,693.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Central New Mexico Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region list. CNM is a fairly large public school situated in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Central New Mexico Community College has the honor of being ranked #1 in New Mexico for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,586.
Learn More About Value at Central New Mexico Community College
With a ranking of #6, Northwest Vista College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region list. Located in San Antonio, Texas, the school is a fairly large public institution.
Not only is Northwest Vista College a great value, but it is also ranked #19 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $3,018.
University of North Texas landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in Denton, Texas, the school is a large public institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of North Texas is ranked #14 for quality in the state of Texas. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $4,728.
Pima Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region list. Pima County Community College District is a public institution located in Tucson, Arizona.
Pima Community College has the honor of being ranked #13 in Arizona for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,113.
Austin Community College District came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region ranking. This large public school is located in Austin, Texas.
Not only is Austin Community College District a great value, but it is also ranked #32 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $2,546.
The University of Texas at Austin did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #10. UT Austin is located in Austin, Texas and has a large student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, The University of Texas at Austin is ranked #2 for quality in the state of Texas. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $11,559.
Lamar Institute of Technology ranked #11 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region list. Lamar Institute of Technology is a small public school located in Beaumont, Texas.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Lamar Institute of Technology is ranked #13 for quality in the state of Texas. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,909.
With a ranking of #12, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region list. This large public school is located in Edinburg, Texas.
Not only is The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley a great value, but it is also ranked #23 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $4,055.
Oklahoma State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #13. OSU is a public institution located in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Oklahoma State University - Main Campus is ranked #2 for quality in the state of Oklahoma. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $6,513.
Lamar State College - Orange ranked #14 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region list. Lamar State College - Orange is located in Orange, Texas and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $1,354.
Arizona State University - Tempe came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region ranking. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Not only is Arizona State University - Tempe a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Arizona for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $8,920.
Houston Community College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region ranking. Houston Community College is a large public school situated in Houston, Texas.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Houston Community College is ranked #15 for quality in the state of Texas. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $6,068.
San Antonio College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region list. San Antonio, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
San Antonio College has the honor of being ranked #27 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,084.
Texas A&M University - College Station landed the #18 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region ranking. Texas A&M College Station is located in College Station, Texas and has a large student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Texas A&M University - College Station is ranked #3 for quality in the state of Texas. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $12,460.
Read full value report on Texas A&M University - College Station
With a ranking of #19, Central Arizona College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region list. Located in Coolidge, Arizona, the school is a small public institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Central Arizona College is ranked #10 for quality in the state of Arizona. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $4,603.
With a ranking of #20, Texas State Technical College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region list. Waco, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Not only is Texas State Technical 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 $0-$30k per year is $8,442.
With a ranking of #21, Central Texas College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region list. Located in Killeen, Texas, the school is a medium-sized public institution.
Not only is Central Texas College a great value, but it is also ranked #12 in Texas for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $7,575.
With a ranking of #22, Del Mar College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region list. This fairly large public school is located in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Del Mar College has the honor of being ranked #37 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,175.
McLennan Community College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region ranking. MCC is a public institution located in Waco, Texas.
McLennan Community College has the honor of being ranked #24 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $5,759.
Collin County Community College District did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #24. Collin County Community College District is located in McKinney, Texas and has a large student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Collin County Community College District is ranked #21 for quality in the state of Texas. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $6,189.
Read full value report on Collin County Community College District
New Mexico Military Institute landed the #25 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region ranking. NMMI is located in Roswell, New Mexico and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Not only is New Mexico Military Institute a great value, but it is also ranked #12 in New Mexico for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $1,143.
Not only did these schools make the top 39 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
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These schools also performed well in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region ranking:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | Cochise County Community College District | Sierra Vista, AZ | Value Report |
| 40 | Trinity University | San Antonio, TX | Value Report |
| 42 | Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus | Portales, NM | Value Report |
| 43 | Midland College | Midland, TX | Value Report |
| 44 | Palo Alto College | San Antonio, TX | Value Report |
| 45 | Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell Campus | Roswell, NM | Value Report |
| 46 | Texas A&M International University | Laredo, TX | Value Report |
| 47 | University of Houston | Houston, TX | Value Report |
| 48 | New Mexico State University - Dona Ana | Las Cruces, NM | Value Report |
| 49 | Victoria College | Victoria, TX | Value Report |
| 50 | University of Phoenix - Arizona | Phoenix, AZ | Value Report |
| 51 | Odessa College | Odessa, TX | Value Report |
| 51 | GateWay Community College | Phoenix, AZ | Value Report |
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.