It's not easy to decide which school to attend when you have so many options available. College Factual has developed its Best Associate Degree Colleges in the Southwest Region ranking as one thing you can use to help make this decision.
Our analysis looked at 115 schools in the Southwest Region to determine which ones have the best associate degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best schools. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
Early-Career Salaries Are Higher
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving a associate degree from the school. While associate degree recipients from schools in the Southwest Region earn an average starting salary of $41,803, those from the top 25 school on this list made an average of $45,680.
Starting Salary ( 27587 to 54340 )
Average Student Debt
In addition to average starting salaries, we also consider the average amount of student loans that students take on while pursuing their associate degree.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients from schools in the Southwest Region have accumulated an average of $12,867 in student debt.
The average amount taken out in student loans for graduates at a particular school may be crippling for those who earn less than average wages after graduation.
Other Ranking Factors in Our Methodology
We also analyze a number of other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt when coming up with our yearly Best Associate Degree Schools ranking.
Several other factors - such as how much the school spends on educational resources, the demand of the school, the availability of online learning options, and the student body caliber - go into our rankings.
If you'd rather work on your associate degree in a specific area of the country, you might be interested in our rankings by place. Also, check out our other college rankings to help you with your college decision.
Top Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region
Our 2025 rankings named University of Phoenix - Arizona the best school in the Southwest Region in terms of overall quality for students working on their associate degree. UOPX - Arizona is a large private for-profit school situated in Phoenix, Arizona. It awarded 3,066 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from UOPX - Arizona go into careers with an average salary of $40,424 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $7,689 after getting their degree.
The excellent associate degree programs at GateWay Community College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in the Southwest Region. This medium-sized public school is located in Phoenix, Arizona, and it awarded 662 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from GateWay Community College go into careers with an average salary of $62,913 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $8,312.
Out of the 115 associate degree schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Texas State Technical College landed the #3 spot on the list. Waco, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,443 students in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from TSTC go into careers with an average salary of $46,107 during the early years of their career.
The excellent associate degree programs at Eastern Arizona College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in the Southwest Region. Thatcher, Arizona is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 457 students in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $40,964 during the early years of their career.
A rank of #5 on our Best Associate Degree in the Southwest Region list means Tarrant County College District is a great place for students working on their degree. Located in Fort Worth, Texas, the large public school awarded 5,819 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from Tarrant County College make an average of $36,245 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $9,154 after getting their degree.
El Centro College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. El Centro College is located in Dallas, Texas and has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 7,626 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $38,998 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $9,898 in student loans.
Collin County Community College District ranked #7 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. This large public school is located in McKinney, Texas, and it awarded 4,361 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Collin County Community College District is $38,039 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $13,501 in student loans.
American InterContinental University - Online did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #8. AIU Online is a fairly large private for-profit school situated in Chandler, Arizona. It awarded 1,301 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $29,646 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $6,686.
South Texas College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. McAllen, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 3,702 students in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from South Texas College make an average of $37,312 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $6,466 in student loans.
Houston Community College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #10. Houston, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 5,387 students in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Houston Community College go into careers with an average salary of $35,428 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $9,004 in student loans.
With a ranking of #11, Austin Community College District did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. Austin Community College District is a public institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4,621 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Austin Community College District is $46,753 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $15,705.
With a ranking of #12, Lone Star College System did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. North Harris Montgomery is a public institution located in The Woodlands, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 8,774 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $36,564 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $8,932.
Northland Pioneer College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Holbrook, Arizona is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 171 students in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $33,026 during the early years of their career.
Southwestern Assemblies of God University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. Southwestern Assemblies of God University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Waxahachie, Texas that handed out 212 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Southwestern Assemblies of God University make an average of $33,649 a year. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $22,243 after getting their degree.
Pima Community College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Tucson, Arizona, the fairly large public school awarded 1,807 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Pima County Community College District make an average of $39,879 a year. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $10,050 after getting their degree.
Lamar Institute of Technology ranked #16 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. Lamar Institute of Technology is a medium-sized public school situated in Beaumont, Texas. It awarded 586 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Lamar Institute of Technology make an average of $46,722 a year.
McLennan Community College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. MCC is a medium-sized public school situated in Waco, Texas. It awarded 1,278 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from MCC make an average of $37,791 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $12,037 in student loans.
Lee College landed the #18 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Baytown, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,267 students in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from Lee College make an average of $83,870 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #19, Central New Mexico Community College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the fairly large public school awarded 3,426 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $41,785 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #20, Mesa Community College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. Mesa Community College is a public institution located in Mesa, Arizona. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,815 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Mesa Community College is $59,910 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $21,250 in student loans.
With a ranking of #21, Oklahoma City Community College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,746 students in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from OCCC go into careers with an average salary of $47,098 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $10,197 in student loans.
With a ranking of #22, Del Mar College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. Corpus Christi, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,324 students in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from DMC make an average of $48,268 a year.
With a ranking of #23, Phoenix College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. Phoenix, Arizona is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,033 students in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from Phoenix College make an average of $54,650 per year during the early years of their career.
Estrella Mountain Community College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #24. Estrella Mountain Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Avondale, Arizona. It awarded 1,208 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Estrella Mountain Community College is $78,359 during the early years of their career.
Glendale Community College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. Glendale Community College is a fairly large public school located in Glendale, Arizona that handed out 1,568 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Glendale Community College go into careers with an average salary of $47,608 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $8,684 in student loans.
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%.
