Howard Payne University is a four-to-five-year (depending on degree plan), private university located in Brownwood, Texas. The university is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Currently the university has almost 1,200 full-time students. Howard Payne is known for its Christian Studies program, the Guy D. Newman Honors Academy, and its Music department.

HPU founders named the college after Edward Howard Payne, a Missouri resident. Payne, brother-in-law to John David Robnett, the college`s founder, gave the lead monetary gift to start the university. HPU offers more than 50 majors, minors and pre-professional programs within six schools: Science and Math, Business, Christian.