by our College Data Analytics TeamWhen pursuing a degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. This list may shock you as many typically expensive schools are very generous with need-based financial aid.
See What's Included in This Value Report:
We analyzed 234 schools across the Southwest Region to determine which have the best value programs. Instead of depending on subjective information to rank the best value schools, we focus on objective factors in our analysis. More specifically, the following explains what we consider and why.
When determining the value of a school in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region ranking, we first look at its average net price of a student coming from a family that makes $75-$110k a year. The net price is defined as the sum of room and board, tuition, and fees minus any financial aid that the student receives. 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 host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
To learn more, visit our best value ranking methodology page.
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 analysis found Lee College to be the best value (income $75-$110k) school in the Southwest Region in this year’s ranking. Lee College is located in Baytown, Texas and has a medium-sized student population. It is a public school.
Lee College has the honor of being ranked #6 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $7,835.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend South Texas College. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region list. McAllen, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
South Texas College has the honor of being ranked #22 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $3,055.
Out of the 234 schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, El Centro College landed the #3 spot on the list. This large public school is located in Dallas, Texas.
Not only is El Centro College a great value, but it is also ranked #17 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $7,930.
The quality degree programs at Rice University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) 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 $75-$110k per year is $18,315.
The quality degree programs at Central New Mexico Community College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region. CNM is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico and has a fairly large student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Central New Mexico Community College is ranked #1 for quality in the state of New Mexico. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $7,922.
Learn More About Value at Central New Mexico Community College
With a ranking of #6, Pima Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region list. Pima County Community College District is located in Tucson, Arizona and has a fairly large student population. It is a public school.
Not only is Pima Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #13 in Arizona for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $7,672.
West Coast University - Dallas ranked #7 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region list. West Coast University - Dallas is located in Dallas, Texas and has a small student population. It is a private for-profit school.
Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $12,461.
Northwest Vista College landed the #8 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. San Antonio, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Northwest Vista 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 $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $9,945.
Lamar Institute of Technology came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. Lamar Institute of Technology is a small public school situated in Beaumont, Texas.
Lamar Institute of Technology has the honor of being ranked #13 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $11,550.
Houston Community College landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. This large public school is located in Houston, Texas.
Not only is Houston Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #15 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $11,356.
Central Texas College landed the #11 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. Central Texas College is a public institution located in Killeen, Texas.
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 $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $12,147.
McLennan Community College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. This medium-sized public school is located in Waco, Texas.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, McLennan Community College is ranked #24 for quality in the state of Texas. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $10,124.
Tarrant County College District came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. Fort Worth, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Not only is Tarrant County College District a great value, but it is also ranked #30 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $9,493.
San Antonio College landed the #14 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. San Antonio College is a fairly large public school situated in San Antonio, Texas.
San Antonio College has the honor of being ranked #27 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $10,086.
Central Arizona College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #15. Pinal County Community College is a public institution located in Coolidge, Arizona.
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. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $10,402.
Lamar State College - Orange ranked #16 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) 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 $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $7,852.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. Edinburg, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has the honor of being ranked #23 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $11,013.
Read full value report on The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Parker University landed the #18 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. Parker University is located in Dallas, Texas and has a small student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $14,385.
With a ranking of #19, Cochise County Community College District did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region list. Cochise College is located in Sierra Vista, Arizona and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Not only is Cochise County Community College District a great value, but it is also ranked #14 in Arizona for overall quality. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $10,019.
With a ranking of #20, Texas State Technical College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region list. TSTC is a fairly large public school situated in Waco, Texas.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Texas State Technical College is ranked #8 for quality in the state of Texas. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $15,230.
With a ranking of #21, St Philip’s College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region list. San Antonio, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Not only is St Philip’s College a great value, but it is also ranked #46 in Texas for overall quality. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $9,169.
Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus ranked #22 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region list. ENMU - Main Campus is a small public school situated in Portales, New Mexico.
Not only is Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus a great value, but it is also ranked #6 in New Mexico for overall quality. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $7,979.
Full Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus Value Report
Collin County Community College District came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. 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 #21 for quality in the state of Texas. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $12,041.
Read full value report on Collin County Community College District
Del Mar College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #24. Del Mar College is a fairly large public school located in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Not only is Del Mar College a great value, but it is also ranked #37 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $10,467.
Amarillo College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region ranking. Amarillo College is a medium-sized public school located in Amarillo, Texas.
Not only is Amarillo College a great value, but it is also ranked #53 in Texas for overall quality. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $8,806.
Not only did these schools make the top 36 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 $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region ranking:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | San Juan College | Farmington, NM | Value Report |
| 38 | Panola College | Carthage, TX | Value Report |
| 39 | Mesa Community College | Mesa, AZ | Value Report |
| 40 | Arizona State University - Tempe | Tempe, AZ | Value Report |
| 41 | Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell Campus | Roswell, NM | Value Report |
| 42 | San Jacinto Community College | Pasadena, TX | Value Report |
| 43 | Midland College | Midland, TX | Value Report |
| 44 | New Mexico State University - Dona Ana | Las Cruces, NM | Value Report |
| 45 | GateWay Community College | Phoenix, AZ | Value Report |
| 46 | Lone Star College System | The Woodlands, TX | Value Report |
| 47 | El Paso Community College | El Paso, TX | Value Report |
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.