Best Colleges in the South Central Region of the U.S.

The South Central region of the United States contains a wealth of public and private colleges and universities. My top picks range from small liberal arts colleges to giant public universities. The list includes religious and secular schools in rural and urban locations. The list contains some familiar names such as Rice and Texas A&M, but some of the selections may be less familiar to readers. The colleges and universities below were chosen based on factors such as retention rates, graduation rates, student engagement, selectivity, financial aid. and value. I have listed the schools alphabetically to avoid the often arbitrary distinctions that separate #1 from #2, and because of the futility of comparing a large research university to a small liberal arts college.

The South Central Region

The colleges and universities in the list below were selected from Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.

Auburn University

Location: Auburn, Alabama
Enrollment: 28,290 (22,658 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: Over 140 degree programs; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; over 300 student clubs and organizations; strong Division I athletic programs within the Southeastern Conference
For more information and admissions data, see the Auburn University profile

Austin College

Location: Sherman, Texas
Enrollment: 1,278 (1,262 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church
Distinctions: High number of graduates go on to graduate school; emphasis on community service and study abroad; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; most students receive significant grant aid
For more information and admissions data, see the Austin College profile

Baylor University

Location: Waco, Texas
Enrollment: 16,959 (14,348 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private university affiliated with the Baptist Church
Distinctions: 145 areas of study and 300 student organizations; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; Baylor Bears compete in the NCAA Division I Big 12 Conference
For more information and admissions data, see the Baylor University profile

Bellarmine University

Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Enrollment: 3,973 (2,647 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private Catholic university
Distinctions: 12 to 1 student/faculty ratio; average class size of 19; strong internship program; study abroad opportunities in over 50 countries; NCAA Division II athletics
For more information and admissions data, see the Bellarmine University profile

Belmont University

Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Enrollment: 7,723 (6,293 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private Christian university
Distinctions: 13 to 1 student/faculty ratio; highly ranked master's level university in the South; strong programs in music and music business; located next door to Vanderbilt University; member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic Sun Conference
For more information and admissions data, see the Belmont University profile

Berea College

Location: Berea, Kentucky
Enrollment: 1,665 (all undergraduate)
Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
Distinctions: Students come from 50 states and 60 countries; students pay no tuition; all students work 10 to 15 hours a week as part of the Labor Program; first coeducational and interracial college in the South
For more information and admissions data, see the Berea College profile

Birmingham-Southern College

Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Enrollment: 1,293 (all undergraduate)
Type of Institution: private Methodist liberal arts college
Distinctions: Good financial aid; strong student-faculty interaction; featured in Loren Pope's Colleges That Change Lives; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; good financial aid
For more information and admissions data, see the Birmingham-Southern College profile

Centre College

Location: Danville, Kentucky
Enrollment: 1,430 (all undergraduate)
Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
Distinctions: 11 to 1 student/faculty ratio; chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; good grant aid; "Centre Commitment" guarantees graduation in four years
For more information and admissions data, see the Centre College profile

Hendrix College

Location: Conway, Arkansas
Enrollment: 1,328 (1,321 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
Distinctions: Chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; featured in Loren Pope's Colleges That Change Lives; excellent value; curricular emphasis on active learning and international engagement
For more information and admissions data, see the Hendrix College profile

Loyola University New Orleans

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Enrollment: 3,679 (2,482 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private Catholic university
Distinctions: 12 to 1 student/faculty ratio; over 40 study abroad programs; more than 120 student clubs and organizations; good grant aid; students come from 49 states and 33 countries
For more information and admissions data, see the Loyola University New Orleans profile

Millsaps College

Location: Jackson, Mississippi
Enrollment: 866 (802 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
Distinctions: Featured in Loren Pope's Colleges That Change Lives; strong business program; chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; strong writing across the curriculum program
For more information and admissions data, see the Millsaps College profile

Rhodes College

Location: Memphis, Tennessee
Enrollment: 2,029 (1,999 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church
Distinctions: Attractive 100-acre park-like campus; 10 to 1 student/faculty ratio; average class size of 13; students from 46 states and 15 countries; chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences
For more information and admissions data, see the Rhodes College profile

Rice University

Location: Houston, Texas
Enrollment: 6,855 (3,893 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private university
Distinctions: Most selective university in Texas; amazing 5 to 1 student/faculty ratio; excellent retention and graduation rates; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; member of the Association of American Universities for strong research programs; Rice Owls compete in the NCAA Division I Conference USA (C-USA)
For more information and admissions data, see the Rice University profile

Samford University

Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Enrollment: 5,471 (3,341 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private Christian university
Distinctions: Largest private university in Alabama; 138 undergraduate majors; 12 to 1 student/faculty ratio; no classes are taught by graduate students; good value; member of the NCAA Division I Southern Conference
For more information and admissions data, see the Samford University profile

Sewanee: The University of the South

Sewanee, University of the South. wharman / Flickr

Location: Sewanee, Tennessee
Enrollment: 1,815 (1,731 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private liberal arts college affiliated with the Episcopal Church
Distinctions: 11 to 1 student/faculty ratio; average class size of 18 the first year, 13 in later years; 13,000-acre campus on the Cumberland Plateau; strong English program and home of The Sewanee Review
For more information and admissions data, see the Sewanee profile

Southern Methodist University (SMU)

Location: Dallas, Texas
Enrollment: 11,739 (6,521 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private university affiliated with the Methodist Church
Distinctions: Strong Cox School of Business and Meadows School of the Arts; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; SMU Mustangs compete in the NCAA Division I American Athletic Conference
For more information and admissions data, see the Southern Methodist University profile

Southwestern University

Location: Georgetown, Texas
Enrollment: 1,489 (all undergraduate)
Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
Distinctions: Founded in 1840 and the oldest university in Texas; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; highly rated liberal arts college; good grant aid
For more information and admissions data, see the Southwestern University profile

Texas A&M, College Station

Location: College Station, Texas
Enrollment: 65,632 (50,735 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: Senior Military College; strong engineering and agriculture programs; member of the Association of American Universities for strong research programs; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; Texas A&M Aggies compete in the Division I Big 12 Conference
For more information and admissions data, see the Texas A&M profile

Texas Christian University (TCU)

Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Enrollment: 10,394 (8,891 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private university affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Distinctions: Recent massive investment in new facilities and upgrades; 14 to 1 student/faculty ratio; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; Texas Christian Horned Frogs compete in the NCAA Division I Mountain West Conference
For more information and admissions data, see the Texas Christian University profile

Transylvania University

Location: Lexington, Kentucky
Enrollment: 963 (all undergraduate)
Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
Distinctions: 12 to 1 student/faculty ratio; average class size of 17; active sorority and fraternity system; 16th oldest college in the country; good value and grant aid; NCAA Division III athletics
For more information and admissions data, see the Transylvania University profile

Trinity University

Location: San Antonio, Texas
Enrollment: 2,466 (2,298 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private university
Distinctions: 10 to 1 student/faculty ratio; historic ties to the Presbyterian church; students come from 45 states and 64 countries; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences
For more information and admissions data, see the Trinity University profile

Tulane University

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Enrollment: 12,581 (7,924 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private university
Distinctions: Member of the Association of American Universities for strong research programs; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; member of the NCAA Division I American Athletic Conference
For more information and admissions data, see the Tulane University profile

Union University

Location: Jackson, Tennessee
Enrollment: 3,466 (2,286 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private university affiliated with the Southern Baptist Church
Distinctions: 12 to 1 student/faculty ratio; Christ-centered identity; students from 45 states and 30 countries; mostly new residence halls built in 2008 after tornado damage
For more information and admissions data, see the Union University profile

University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa

Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Enrollment: 37,663 (32,563 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: Alabama's flagship institution of higher learning; highly ranked public university; good value; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; strong athletic programs in the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference
For more information and admissions data, see the University of Alabama profile

University of Dallas

Location: Dallas, Texas
Enrollment: 2,357 (1,407 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private Catholic university
Distinctions: One of the top Catholic colleges in the U.S.; 13 to 1 student/faculty ratio; nearly 80% of undergraduates study for a semester on the Rome campus; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; strong grant aid
For more information and admissions data, see the University of Dallas profile

University of Oklahoma

Location: Norman, Oklahoma
Enrollment: 27,918 (21,609 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; good value; 17 to 1 student/faculty ratio; strong programs in business, journalism, engineering, and meteorology; member of the NCAA Division I Big 12 Conference
For more information and admissions data, see the University of Oklahoma profile

University of Tennessee at Knoxville

University of Tennessee Football. Triple Tri / Flickr

Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
Enrollment: 28,052 (22,139 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: Flagship campus of Tennessee's state university system; strong business programs; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong programs in the liberal arts and sciences; member of the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference
For more information and admissions data, see the University of Tennessee profile

University of Texas at Austin

University of Texas, Austin, Tower. Silly Jilly / Flickr

Location: Austin, Texas
Enrollment: 51,331 (40,168 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: One of the largest public universities in the country; one of the top public universities in the U.S.; one of the top business schools in the U.S.; member of the Association of American Universities for strong research programs; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; Longhorns compete in the NCAA Division I Big 12 Conference
For more information and admissions data, see the University of Texas profile

University of Tulsa

Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Enrollment: 4,563 (3,406 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private university
Distinctions: Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; strong and popular program in petroleum engineering; 11 to 1 student/faculty ratio; member of the NCAA Division I American Athletic Conference
For more information and admissions data, see the University of Tulsa profile

Vanderbilt University

Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Enrollment: 12,587 (6,871 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private research university
Distinctions: Most selective and prestigious university in Tennessee; 8 to 1 student/faculty ratio; many high-ranking programs including education, law, medicine and business; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; member of the Association of American Universities for strong research programs; member of the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference
Explore the Campus: Vanderbilt University Photo Tour
For more information and admissions data, see the Vanderbilt University profile

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Grove, Allen. "Top South Central Colleges and Universities." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/top-south-central-colleges-and-universities-788285. Grove, Allen. (2023, April 5). Top South Central Colleges and Universities. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/top-south-central-colleges-and-universities-788285 Grove, Allen. "Top South Central Colleges and Universities." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/top-south-central-colleges-and-universities-788285 (accessed May 8, 2025).