2026 Best Best Schools in the Southwest Region

Best is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools to find the best for best students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Best Schools in the Southwest Region

Best Schools for Best in the Southwest Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall best education in the Southwest Region.

Top Schools in Best

1

Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

85 Best Degrees Awarded

$36,920 Median Starting Salary

No school ranked higher than Northern Arizona University this year for best. This very large public university is located in the city of Flagstaff. Northern Arizona University graduates 61% of students within six years. There were roughly 85 best students who graduated with this degree at Northern Arizona University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the best program make about $36,920 in their early career. Northern Arizona University graduates carry a median of $21,625 in student loans. More information about a degree in best from Northern Arizona University

2

East Texas Baptist University
Marshall, TX

Associate's Degree Highest Degree Type

11 Best Degrees Awarded

$44,734 Median Starting Salary

A rank of #2 makes East Texas Baptist University one of the top schools for best. Located in the town of Marshall, East Texas Baptist University is a small private not-for-profit university. Roughly 47% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 11 best degrees were awarded at East Texas Baptist University in the most recent year. Students who receive their best degree from East Texas Baptist University earn around $44,734 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $25,137 to complete this degree. Read more about the best program at East Texas Baptist University

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 8 schools evaluated.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.