Best HBCU Colleges in Texas

Find out the details about HBCU colleges in Texas and which ones are the best.

Best HBCU Colleges in Texas
Lee Chinyama

HBCU stands for “historically black colleges and universities.” These are institutions of higher education that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964, mainly in the years and decades after the American Civil War. HBCU institutions were established with their primary mission being to serve the African American community. Because many of these colleges and universities were founded in the years after the American Civil War, HBCUs tend to be concentrated in the U.S. South.

Texas is home to hundreds of colleges and universities. Among these many institutions, there are nine HBCU colleges in Texas. Out of the nine HBCU colleges in Texas, the oldest — Paul Quinn College — was founded in 1872. The nine HBCU colleges in Texas include the following: 

But, which HBCU colleges in Texas are the best? BrokeScholar conducted a study in order to identify the best HBCU colleges in Texas. Read on to find out more about the best HBCU colleges in Texas.

Best HBCU Colleges in Texas

When it comes to the best HBCU colleges in Texas, there are only nine colleges to work with. However, using data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), we were able to compile a list of the best HBCU colleges in Texas academically. Some data was limited, such as SAT and ACT scores, for these HBCU colleges in Texas, so we also analyzed graduation rates and admission rates. Here’s a look at the best HBCU colleges in Texas:

Prairie View A&M University

4-year, public institution

Types of degrees:

  • Bachelor's degree
  • Master's degree
  • Doctor's degree - research/scholarship

Prairie View A&M University is located in Prairie View and was founded in 1876, the last year of the Reconstruction era in American history after the Civil War. Among the nine HBCU colleges in Texas, Prairie View A&M University boasts the highest graduation rate at 41%. It’s also one of the largest HBCU colleges in Texas, with an estimated undergraduate student population of over 8,100 and a total student population of roughly 9,056.

Five out of the nine HBCU colleges in Texas have an open admissions policy, but Prairie View A&M does not, having an admission rate of 76%. Out of the nine HBCU colleges in Texas, Prairie View A&M University has the best SAT and ACT scores. Its median SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score was 480 and its median SAT Math score was 470; its median ACT Composite score was 18.

Since Prairie View A&M University is a public university, it has different rates of tuition for in-state students versus out-of-state students. According to NCES data, the in-state tuition and required fees are approximately $11,299; on the other hand, its out-of-state tuition and fees are an estimated $26,874.

Jarvis Christian University

4-year, private not-for-profit institution

Types of degrees:

  • Associate's degree
  • Bachelor's degree

Founded in 1912, Jarvis Christian University is located in Hawkins, Texas. It has an undergraduate student population of an estimated 729, with all students being undergraduates. Jarvis Christian University has an open admission policy. Unfortunately, compared to the previous iteration of this study, the current graduation rate at Jarvis Christian is 16%, down from 37% previously. According to NCES data, 55% of the undergraduate population is Black or African American. As a private, not-for-profit college, Jarvis Christian University has the same tuition and required fees costs for both in-state and out-of-state students, at approximately $11,720, according to NCES data.

Huston-Tillotson University 

4-year, private not-for-profit institution

Types of degrees:

  • Associate's degree
  • Bachelor's degree
  • Master's degree

Founded in 1875, Huston-Tillotson University is located in Austin. Among the nine HBCU colleges in Texas, Huston-Tilloston University has a student population on the smaller side: Its undergraduate student population is an estimated 991, with 1,025 students overall. Huston-Tilloston University is also on the more selective side of the HBCU colleges in Texas, with an admission rate of 52%, which is the lowest admission rate of the nine HBCU colleges in Texas.

What’s more, Huston-Tilloston University’s graduation rate of 32% is one of the highest rates in the study. This HBCU college’s SAT and ACT scores are also very solid, with a median ACT Composite score of 17, and a median score of 460 for both SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and SAT Math. As a private, not-for-profit university, the cost of tuition and required fees is the same for in-state and out-of-state students, at approximately $14,703.

St. Philip's College 

2-year, public institution

Types of degrees:

  • Less than one year certificate
  • One but less than two years certificate
  • Associate's degree 

Founded in 1898, St. Philip's College is located in San Antonio. Interestingly, St. Philip’s College is part of Texas’s Alamo Colleges District, and though an HBCU college, it has a high proportion of Hispanic/Latino students. Among the nine HBCU colleges in Texas, St. Philip’s College is the only one that’s a two-year institution, not offering a bachelor’s degree-level education program.

That being said, St. Philip's has some solid academic credentials. In the previous iteration of this study, the graduation rate at St. Philip's College was 28%, but now has risen to 32%. What’s more, of the nine HBCU colleges in Texas, St. Philip’s College has the largest student population, with approximately 12,653 students. As a public college, St. Philip’s College charges different rates for tuition depending on whether the student is an in-state resident or from out of state. According to NCES data, in-state tuition and required fees are $6,742 versus $14,272 for out-of-state students. 

Wiley College

4-year, private not-for-profit institution

Types of degrees:

  • Associate's degree
  • Bachelor’s degree 

Founded in 1873, Wiley College is located in Marshall, Texas. Of the nine HBCU colleges in Texas, Wiley College has the fifth highest graduation rate, at 24%, down from 27% in our previous version of this study. Wiley College has an open admission policy, with an undergraduate population of a just under 700 and no graduate students. In terms of enrollment, a full 83% of the student population is Black or African American. As a private, not-for-profit college, Wiley College charges the same rates of tuition and required fees for both in-state and out-of-state students, at $13,500 per academic year, according to the NCES.

Paul Quinn College

4-year, private not-for-profit institution

Types of degrees:

  • Bachelor's degree

Paul Quinn College is located in Dallas, and being founded in 1872, is the oldest of the HBCU colleges in Texas. Of the nine HBCU colleges in Texas, Paul Quinn College is on the smaller side, having a total student population of 938, all undergraduate students. Paul Quinn College is also one of the nine HBCU colleges in Texas that does not have an open admission policy; its admission rate is 57%, making in much more selective than most HBCU colleges in Texas.

Paul Quinn College has improved on its graduation rate since last year's iteration of the study, rising from 23% to where it stands currently at 29%. In terms of its enrolled student population, 48% are Black or African American, according to the NCES. Being a private, not-for-profit college, Paul Quinn College has the same costs of tuition and required fees for both in-state and out-of-state students, at $13,798 per academic year, according to the NCES.

Texas College

4-year, private not-for-profit institution

Types of degrees:

  • Associate's degree
  • Bachelor’s degree 

Founded in 1894, Texas College is located in Tyler, Texas, and offers degrees on the associate-level and bachelor-level. Since the highest level degree it awards is a bachelor’s degree, Texas College only has undergraduate students, approximately 642, according to the NCES. Texas College is one of the five HBCU colleges in Texas to have an open admission policy. Of the nine HBCU colleges in Texas, Texas College has the eighth highest graduation rate, at 16%, tying it with Jarvis Christian University's graduation rate. However, Texas College also has one of the highest rates of full-time students, with 92% of students enrolled being full-time. In addition, a full 88% of its student population being Black or African American. Texas College has four major academic divisions: Business and Social Sciences; General Studies and Humanities; Interdisciplinary Studies (Teacher Education); and Natural and Computational Sciences.

Texas Southern University 

4-year, public institution

Types of degrees:

  • Bachelor's degree
  • Master's degree
  • Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
  • Doctor's degree - professional practice

Founded in 1927, Texas Southern University is one of the more recently established HBCU colleges in Texas. In last year's iteration of this study, Texas Southern University was tied with Paul Quinn College with a graduation rate of 23%. This time around, however, the graduation rate at Texas Southern University is higher, having risen to 26% — though Paul Quinn's graduation rate of 29% still beats it. Among the nine HBCU colleges in Texas, Texas Southern University has a student population on the larger side: Its undergraduate student population is an estimated 6,830, with 8,632 students overall.

Texas Southern University does not have an open admissions policy like many other HBCU colleges in Texas, but it does admit a large percentage of applicants: 97% in fall 2022. Texas Southern University’s SAT and ACT scores are also very good, with a median ACT Composite score of 17, tying Huston-Tilloston University's ACT Composite score. As a public university, the costs of tuition and required fees vary depending on if the student is in-state or out-of-state: According to the NCES, the estimated cost of tuition and required fees for an in-state student is $9,173, while for out-of-state students it is an estimated $21,413.

Southwestern Christian College

4-year, private not-for-profit institution

Types of degrees:

  • Associate's degree
  • Bachelor’s degree 

Founded in 1948, Southwestern Christian College is the “youngest” of the nine HBCU colleges in Texas. Located in Terrell, Texas, Southwestern Christian College is also the smallest of the HBCU colleges in Texas, with a total student population of 88, all undergraduates. Of the nine HBCU colleges in Texas, Southwestern Christian College has the ninth highest graduation rate, at 5%. Southwestern Christian College has an open admission policy, with a full 95% of its student population being Black or African American. Though a small HBCU college, Southwestern Christian College has rigorous academic requirements for both achieving an associate’s degree and a bachelor’s degree, the latter include two one-hour internships. As a private, not-for-profit college, Southwestern Christian College charges the same rates of tuition and required fees for both in-state and out-of-state students, at $12,030 per academic year, according to the NCES.

The Bottom Line on the Best HBCU Colleges in Texas

All nine of these HBCU colleges in Texas have multiple academic divisions, offering a broad range of fields to study. For example, Texas Southern University offers a particularly robust series of both undergraduate schools and graduate programs: Jesse H. Jones School of Business, offering degrees in accounting and business administration; College of Education; School of Communications; College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences; School of Public Affairs; College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences; and the College of Science, Engineering and Technology. 

Prairie View A&M University also offers a vast array of fields of study, divided up into nine larger academic programs: The College of Agriculture and Human Sciences; Brailsford College of Arts and Sciences; College of Business; Whitlowe R. Green College of Education; Roy G. Perry College of Engineering; College of Juvenile Justice; College of Nursing; School of Architecture; and Northwest Houston Center.

Most of these HBCU colleges in Texas accept scholarships or provide their own scholarship programs. Thus, it makes sense to check out BrokeScholar’s library of scholarships and grants if any of these HBCU colleges in Texas appeal to you.

Andrew DePietro

Author: Andrew DePietro

Senior Researcher, and Content Strategist

Andrew DePietro is a finance writer covering topics such as entrepreneurship, investing, real estate and college for BrokeScholar, Forbes, CreditKarma, and more.