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Real costs by region · Southwest · families earning $48,000–$75,000

25 Southwest colleges under $13,000 a year — if you earn $48,000–$75,000.

Across 115 Southwest colleges, families earning $48,000–$75,000 paid between $3,217 and $37,346 a year. The 25 cheapest are all under $13,000 — and 2 of them are private.

SchoolTypeAdmitSticker / yrThis band paidPaid
Rice UniversityPrivate8%$79,788$3,217
Texas A & M International UniversityPublic44%$15,558$3,840
The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyPublic94%$16,830$5,665
Eastern New Mexico University-Main CampusPublic92%$18,940$5,960
Louisiana State University-ShreveportPublic51%$19,461$5,969
East Central UniversityPublic58%$18,459$7,155
Louisiana State University at AlexandriaPublic92%$15,550$7,524
University of North Texas at DallasPublic84%$20,064$7,725
Southeastern Oklahoma State UniversityPublic76%$18,594$8,247
Lamar UniversityPublic86%$22,254$8,545
The University of Texas at San AntonioPublic87%$22,352$9,172
University of Arkansas Community College-MorriltonPublic100%$15,362$9,679
New Mexico State University-Main CampusPublic89%$23,274$9,861
The University of Texas at El PasoPublic100%$19,836$10,120
Northwestern Oklahoma State UniversityPublic65%$18,672$10,539
University of TulsaPrivate62%$64,459$10,871
Texas Woman's UniversityPublic96%$22,234$11,087
Louisiana Tech UniversityPublic86%$24,280$11,146
University of Houston-DowntownPublic90%$20,749$11,247
Sul Ross State UniversityPublic99%$24,529$11,261
University of Arkansas-Fort SmithPublic80%$19,048$11,392
Midwestern State UniversityPublic94%$22,652$11,445
McNeese State UniversityPublic78%$22,810$11,640
East Texas A&M UniversityPublic92%$23,438$12,067
Nicholls State UniversityPublic91%$23,481$12,139

"Paid" is the average net price reported to the U.S. Department of Education for aided families at $48,000–$75,000 household income — planning data, not an offer. Public colleges show in-state prices; out-of-state families typically pay more. Colleges enrolling fewer than 1,000 students are excluded, because federal price cells at very small schools are volatile enough to manufacture patterns that disappear at scale. A low price and a low admit rate are different things — the admit column is there so the two are never confused.

Same region, different income

under $30,000 · $30,000–$48,000 · $75,000–$110,000 · over $110,000

Same income, different region

Northeast · Mid-Atlantic · Southeast · Midwest · West

State by state

Arizona · Arkansas · Louisiana · New Mexico · Oklahoma · Texas

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These are averages. Your family isn't average.
Run any of these schools against your student's real GPA, your income band, and your actual high school — odds with the math shown, the paperwork each requires, and the season's deadlines. First three schools free.

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