HCC vs. COM

Comparable Facts

Compare Houston Community College in Houston, TX with College of the Mainland in Texas City, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Houston Community College is larger than COM based on total student enrollment (53,253 students vs. 5,127 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Houston Community College is located in Houston, TX (Large City setting); College of the Mainland is in Texas City, TX (Small Suburban setting).
• Houston Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. College of the Mainland is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Houston Community College 23:1; College of the Mainland 18:1.

HCC vs. COM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HCC or COM? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of the Mainland than HCC ($3,252 vs. $5,734).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Mainland are 33.2% lower than at Houston Community College ($6,236 vs. $9,330).
• Houston Community College is 25.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than COM (about $894 more per year; $4,344.00 vs. $3,450.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 31.9% higher at HCC than at College of the Mainland (about $1,320 more per year; $5,460.00 vs. $4,140.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of the Mainland than at Houston Community College (81% vs. 69%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Houston Community College students is 30.4% larger than aid received by College of the Mainland students ($6,768 vs. $5,191).

HCC vs. COM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, HCC or COM? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between COM and HCC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: HCC - Open admission; COM - Open admission.

HCC vs. COM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for HCC and COM? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Houston Community College earn a median of about $2,600 more per year than COM graduates about ten years after starting college ($38,200 vs. $35,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of the Mainland graduates have a $3,276 lower median loan debt than HCC graduates ($7,224 vs. $10,500).
• Among borrowers, COM graduates have an estimated $34 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than HCC graduates ($74 vs. $108).
• More COM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HCC students, three years after graduation. (31% vs. 25%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.