Match #1
Hardin-Simmons University
Abilene, TX
Profile closeness83/100
Admit rate90%
- 1,283 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 44%, close to 48%
- Average net price $19,731, close to $19,294
The colleges most similar to Houston Baptist University are Hardin-Simmons University, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, and Dallas Baptist University. Houston Baptist University admits 84% of applicants and has an average net price of $19,294 a year; 2 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 4 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with Houston Baptist University. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to Houston Baptist University
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Belton, TX
Profile closeness83/100
Admit rate96%
- 2,759 students
- Private nonprofit
- Suburb: Small
- Graduation rate 47%, close to 48%
- Enrollment 2,759 students, close to 2,886
Match #3
Dallas Baptist University
Dallas, TX
Profile closeness78/100
Admit rate89%
- 2,403 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Large
- Enrollment 2,403 students, close to 2,886
- Acceptance rate 89%, close to 84%
Match #4
East Texas Baptist University
Marshall, TX
Profile closeness72/100
Admit rate58%
- 1,352 students
- Private nonprofit
- Town: Distant
- Graduation rate 45%, close to 48%
- Same control type (private nonprofit)
Match #5
Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX
Profile closeness62/100
Admit rate56%
- 2,041 students
- Private nonprofit
- Town: Remote
- Enrollment 2,041 students, close to 2,886
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #6
Howard Payne University
Brownwood, TX
Profile closeness50/100
Admit rate67%
- 713 students
- Private nonprofit
- Town: Remote
- Same control type (private nonprofit)
Match #7
Criswell College
Dallas, TX
Profile closeness40/100
Admit rate100%
- 132 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 41%, close to 48%
- Same control type (private nonprofit)
Match #8
Baptist University of the Americas
San Antonio, TX
Profile closeness29/100
Admit rate—
- 99 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Large
- Same control type (private nonprofit)
Match #9
Baylor University
Waco, TX
Profile closeness22/100
Admit rate51%
- 14,785 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Midsize
- Same control type (private nonprofit)
Match #10
Saint Edward's University
Austin, TX
Profile closeness84/100
Admit rate81%
- 2,493 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Large
- Enrollment 2,493 students, close to 2,886
- Acceptance rate 81%, close to 84%
Questions about Houston Baptist University alternatives
What colleges are similar to Houston Baptist University?
The closest matches to Houston Baptist University are Hardin-Simmons University, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Dallas Baptist University, East Texas Baptist University, and Wayland Baptist University. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is Houston Baptist University hard to get into?
Houston Baptist University admitted 84% of its 9,685 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 4 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which Houston Baptist University alternatives cost less?
2 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than Houston Baptist University ($19,294 a year), including Criswell College ($4,570) and Baptist University of the Americas ($7,344). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
