SmartAsset, has released its sixth annual study on the colleges that give students the best return on their educational investment. To find the best value colleges in Texas, SmartAsset measured categories, including scholarships provided, starting salary, tuition, living costs and retention rate.
These Houston schools ranked in the top 10:
Rice University (#1)
University of Houston (#7)
These Dallas area schools ranked in the top 10:
UT Dallas (#4)
UT Arlington (#8)
Click here to find additional details on the study, including the methodology and interactive map, with the top schools in each state.
| Rank | School | City | Avg. Scholarships and Grants | Avg. Starting Salary | College Tuition * | Student Living Costs | Student Retention Rate | College Education Value Index |
| 1 | Rice University | Houston, TX | $35,406 | $71,000 | $45,608 | $17,550 | 97% | 70.96 |
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX | $10,671 | $60,700 | $10,398 | $15,042 | 95% | 62.39 |
| 3 | Texas A & M University-College Station | College Station, TX | $8,570 | $60,600 | $11,234 | $17,242 | 92% | 55.76 |
| 4 | The University of Texas at Dallas | Richardson, TX | $10,645 | $57,100 | $11,528 | $15,832 | 88% | 52.05 |
| 5 | Prairie View A & M University | Prairie View, TX | $10,271 | $57,800 | $9,959 | $13,791 | 74% | 50.87 |
| 6 | Texas Tech University | Lubbock, TX | $7,182 | $56,800 | $8,860 | $14,773 | 85% | 50.85 |
| 7 | University of Houston | Houston, TX | $7,309 | $56,000 | $9,706 | $15,240 | 85% | 48.50 |
| 8 | The University of Texas at Arlington | Arlington, TX | $6,611 | $55,400 | $9,952 | $14,708 | 74% | 42.99 |
| 9 | Trinity University | San Antonio, TX | $26,598 | $54,900 | $41,344 | $15,536 | 91% | 42.22 |
| 10 | LeTourneau University | Longview, TX | $15,882 | $56,600 | $29,320 | $14,068 | 78% | 41.23 |
