Christian Colleges in Texas: All 30 Schools

Texas has a longstanding history of religious culture and community. Today, there are over two dozen Christian colleges in Texas.

But you don’t have to be religious to attend a Christian college. Many students are attracted to these schools for their prestigious academic reputations and renowned athletic programs.

In fact, most private colleges, in general, are religiously affiliated — often, that affiliation doesn’t actually impact the education or university values.

If you’re looking for a college education with religious guideposts and a spiritual student life, the Lone Star State might just have the right Christian college for you.

We’ve spotlighted five popular Texas Christian colleges below. We chose these schools based on their reputation, impact, academic quality, and size.

The following school data comes from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and is updated for 2022.

Here is a complete list of four-year nonprofit Christian universities in Texas. Use the table below to compare data on student population, average net cost, acceptance rate, and number of applicants.

All data comes from NCES. Colleges with fewer than 500 undergraduates were not included in this list.

Many students prefer Christian colleges for their academic reputations, community-oriented cultures, and faith-centered education. Religious students will especially benefit from opportunities to grow in their faith and choose religious-related majors.

But attending a Christian college — in Texas or elsewhere — isn’t for everyone. Even if you identify with a university’s religious denomination, there could still be rules and codes of conduct that don’t match your lifestyle.

Many students also prefer to use college as an opportunity to meet and mingle with people of different backgrounds and lifestyles.

We’ve outlined some pros and cons for you to consider before deciding whether to attend a Christian university in Texas or another state.

Religious students and those attending religious universities are uniquely eligible for religious scholarships. Religious organizations and churches often set up scholarship funds for students of that denomination.

Here are five religious scholarships targeting Texas students.

There are over 30 Christian colleges in Texas of various denominations.

Keep in mind that just because a university has a religious affiliation or religious history doesn’t necessarily mean the college is actively religious today. Some colleges, like Southern Methodist University, are considered as secular as a non-religious-affiliated university.

Yes, Baylor University is considered a Christian college. Baylor is technically affiliated with the General Convention of Texas. Students don’t have to be religious to attend Baylor, though there are some religious course requirements and chapel attendance expectations.

According to NCES, Jarvis Christian University has the lowest average net price of all four-year nonprofit Texas Christian colleges at just $7,365 per year. Other cheap Christian colleges in Texas include Wiley College, Texas Wesleyan University, and McMurry University.

Baylor University is the largest Christian college in Texas, with over 20,000 students enrolled, according to the latest NCES data. Texas Christian University and Southern Methodist University are similarly large private Christian colleges, each with just over 12,000 students.