collageThere are 107 schools identified by the U.S. Department of Education as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), 104 of which are currently operational
If you’re interested in attending an HBCU in Texas, keep reading to learn more about these important institutions.
Jarvis Christian College
Location: Hawkins, TX
Acceptance rate: 14%
Undergraduate enrollment: 900
Located about 100 miles southeast of Dallas, Jarvis Christian College’s rural campus provides a peaceful place to study while offering easy access to more metropolitan areas. Established in 1913, Jarvis Christian College began as Jarvis Christian Institute and was modeled after the Southern Christian Institute of Edwards, Mississippi. It has been affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) since its inception. The school is known for its teacher certification programs and the fact that the East Texas Natural History Collection Museum is found on the Jarvis Christian College’s campus.
Wiley College
Location: Marshall, TX
Acceptance rate: N/A
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,000
Founded in 1872 by the Freedman’s Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church on the tenets of scholarship and service, Wiley College has been delivering faith-based, liberal arts education for almost 150 years. The college is known for its debate team, which earned national attention when it debated—and defeated—the University of Southern California (the defending national champion) in 1935. This victory inspired the movie The Great Debaters and led the movie’s director/star, Denzel Washington, to donate $1 million to revive the school’s debate team.
Southwestern Christian College (SwCC)
Location: Terrell, TX
Acceptance rate: N/A
Undergraduate enrollment: under 200
Founded in 1948 by members of the Churches of Christ as the Southern Bible Institute, Southwestern Christian College remains committed to helping its students fully understand the concepts of “Christian Living.” The school offers two bachelor’s degree programs: one in the Bible, the other in religious Education. It also offers a two-year associate degree program in liberal arts. On SwCC’s campus, you’ll find the Robert A. Terrell home, a Texas historic landmark, and one of just two octagonal houses left in Texas.
Texas College
Location: Tyler, TX
Acceptance rate: N/A
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,000
Texas College is located 100 miles east of Dallas in the city of Tyler. Founded in 1894 by a group of Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME Church) ministers, the school still remains affiliated with the CME Church today. Texas College is a residential college with a 25:1 student-to-faculty ratio that offers 12 bachelor’s degrees:
- Biology
- Business Administration
- Computer Science
- Criminal Justice
- English
- General Studies
- Interdisciplinary Studies
- Mathematics
- Music
- Religion
- Social Work
- Sociology
Paul Quinn College
Location: Dallas, TX
Acceptance rate: N/A
Undergraduate enrollment: 500
Originally established by a group of African Methodist Episcopal Church preachers to educate freed slaves and their children in 1872, Paul Quinn College continues today to deliver a faith-based education. Since 2015, Paul Quinn College has operated under a financial structure—called the “New Urban College Model—designed to allow students to graduate with less than $10,000 in student loan debt. Paul Quinn is also the first member of the Work College Consortium from Texas, as well as the first Minority Serving Institution to join the group.
St. Philip’s College
Location: San Antonio, TX
Acceptance rate: N/A
Undergraduate enrollment: 7,676
St. Philip’s College is the only college in the nation to be recognized as both a Historically Black College and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). The westernmost HBCU in Texas (and the nation), St. Philip’s shares a history similar to many other HBCUs—it was originally established to educate and train recently emancipated slaves. St. Philip’s has a student-to-faculty ratio of 15:1 and an average class size of 20.8 students. Civic engagement plays an important role at St. Philip’s College; students participate in everything from a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program to an annual Juneteenth Parade to Jessica’s Project—a program connecting STEM topics to issues affecting the local community.
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