Houston Colleges & Universities

More than 315,000 students are enrolled in more than 500 degree and certification programs at 100-plus colleges, community colleges, technical and trade schools.

The Greater Houston area has 14 major institutions of higher learning:

Baylor College of Medicine 

Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, the only private medical school in the Greater Southwest, is recognized as a premier academic health science center and is known for excellence in education, research and patient care. In 2011, U.S. News & World Report ranked BCM as one of the top 25 medical schools for research. Currently, BCM trains more than 3,000 medical, graduate, nurse anesthesia, and physician assistant students, as well as residents and post-doctoral fellows.

Houston Christian University 

Since its inception in 1960, HBU has grown into a thriving community of faith and scholarship.

Houston Community College  System 

HCC, the largest community college system on the Texas Gulf Coast, is comprised of five regional colleges.

Lone Star College  

Lone Star College is the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the nation. The LSCS provides 180 programs to nearly 95,000 students seeking Associate Degrees, certifications for work in high-demand industries, and credits that enable them to transfer anywhere.

Prairie View A&M University 

Prairie View A&M is the second oldest public institution of higher education in Texas and the first state supported college in Texas for African-Americans.

Rice University

Rice University

The Princeton Review, Newsweek College Guide, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Worthmagazine, Financial Times, U.S. News and World Report and the Almanac of Architecture and Design all rank Rice as a top institution in the country.

Sam Houston State University 

Serving 16,795 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students, SHSU's Carnegie classification places it in the top 7 percent of U.S. higher education institutions.

San Jacinto College

San Jacinto College District's three locations offer more than 140 degrees and certificates.

South Texas College of Law

One of the largest private law schools in the country, South Texas College of Law provides a diverse body of students with the opportunity to obtain an exceptional legal education, preparing graduates to serve their community and the profession with distinction.

Texas Southern University

Texas Southern University

TSU is one of two comprehensive Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in the world.

University of Houston 

University of Houston

Chosen as one of the nation's best colleges for undergraduate education by The Princeton Review in 2011. Nationally recognized programs at UH include: Creative Writing, Health Law, Intellectual Property Law, Business Administration (undergraduate) and Space Architecture, the only graduate program of its kind in the world. More than 77 UH students and coaches have participated in the Olympics, earning 33 medals (19 gold).

University of Houston - Clear Lake

More than 7,700 students enrolled each semester, with nearly half of those students enrolled in graduate study.

University of Houston - Victoria

The University of Houston - Victoria recently opened its UHV Katy Campus at 2002 W. Grand Parkway N., Building 2 (off TX-99 and Franz Road, near I-10). As part of the UH System, UHV offers face-to-face programs in Victoria and Katy, as well as online classes that students can take from anywhere. Courses lead to 70 bachelor's and master's degree programs and concentrations in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professionals & Human Development. Since its founding in 1973, UHV has provided students with a quality university education from excellent faculty at an affordable price. 

University of Houston - Downtown 

UHD is a publicly-supported, urban university located in Houston's central business district. UHD is considered one of the most ethnically diverse liberal arts institutions in the southwest, a distinction that indicates the student body accurately reflects the Houston community's wealth of cultures, languages and nationalities. The University offers all students a specially tailored opportunity for quality higher education, as well as small classes and personal interest from faculty.

UHD offers baccalaureate degrees in more than 50 areas and seven master's degree programs. As one of the four distinct and separate components of the University of Houston System, UHD offers major opportunities and access to unique educational experiences for students across the Greater Houston area.

University of St. Thomas 

University of St. Thomas

Catholic institution with more than 3,700 students from 40 states and 58 countries. Recognized by U.S. News & World Report, The Cardinal Newman Society and The Princeton Review Guide.

University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHealth)

Located in the world renowned Texas Medical Center, UTHealth brings together the School of Dentistry, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, McGovern Medical School, the School of Public Health, the School of Nursing, the School of Biomedical Informatics, the UT Harris County Psychiatric Center and the Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases.