Texas Private Colleges Ranked by Highest ACT Score

Below is a list of the 30 private colleges in Texas with the highest ACT Score for incoming freshmen. Rice University leads the list with an average ACT Score of 34. Alternatively, check out the SAT version of these rankings.

The ACT is a standardized test used by colleges to evaluate applicants. It is not a guarantee of success in college, but it is a strong indicator of academic potential.

List of Texas Private Colleges Ranked by Highest ACT Score
College Average ACT Score

Houston, Texas

 34

Dallas, Texas

 32

San Antonio, Texas

 32

Waco, Texas

 29

Georgetown, Texas

 28

Fort Worth, Texas

 28

Sherman, Texas

 26

Abilene, Texas

 25

Irving, Texas

 25

Longview, Texas

 25

Austin, Texas

 25

Seguin, Texas

 25

Dallas, Texas

 23

Lubbock, Texas

 23

Abilene, Texas

 22

Austin, Texas

 22

Belton, Texas

 22

Brownwood, Texas

 21
Search and filter all 30 colleges

This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: August 2026

Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.