7 Best HBCUs in Texas

This top-ranked HBCU was also the first state-supported college for Black Americans in Texas. Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) is located in Prairie View, Texas, which is home to less than 10,000 residents but is only 48 miles from Downtown Houston. 

Students can visit nearby Hempstead to explore the John Fairey Garden, a 30+-acre outdoor education and conservation space, or make the hour’s drive to Houston, Texas, for everything the “Space City” has to offer. 

PVAMU helps first- and second-year students acclimate to college life through its Launch and Exploration programs, exposing students to the campus culture and pushing them to grow to their potential. For students that want a more global experience, there are study abroad opportunities in places like Australia, Italy, South Africa, and Great Britain.

Academically, PVAMU is world-renowned for its architecture program. PVAMU students recently won first place in the American Institute of Architect’s Sandcastle Competition in Houston, beating out teams from Rice University and the University of Houston. Another architecture student was selected to support the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through HBCUs.