HCC vs. Howard College

Deciding between Houston Community College and Howard College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Houston Community College
Howard College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • HCC Houston, TX
  • Howard College Big Spring, TX
  • Setting
  • HCC Large City
  • Howard College Remote Town
  • Total enrollment
  • HCC 53,253
  • Howard College 4,101
  • Type
  • HCC Public 2 Year
  • Howard College Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • HCC
  • Howard College
  • Religious Affiliation
  • HCC -
  • Howard College -
  • Status
  • HCC Non-profit
  • Howard College Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • HCC
  • Howard College

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • HCC $2,040
  • Howard College $2,766
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • HCC $5,460
  • Howard College $6,716
  • Room & Board
  • HCC $9,330
  • Howard College $6,064
  • Average Net Price
  • HCC $5,734
  • Howard College $6,491
  • Average Grant Aid
  • HCC $6,768
  • Howard College $7,494
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • HCC 69%
  • Howard College 81%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • HCC -
  • Howard College -
  • Admitted
  • HCC -
  • Howard College -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • HCC Open
  • Howard College Open
  • Enrolled
  • HCC Open
  • Howard College Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • HCC
  • Howard College
  • Typical ACT score
  • HCC
  • Howard College
  • Average High School GPA
  • HCC -
  • Howard College -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • HCC -
  • Howard College -
  • Admissions Standards
  • HCC Unavailable
  • Howard College Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • HCC
  • Howard College
  • ACT Range
  • HCC
  • Howard College
  • SAT Range
  • HCC
  • Howard College
  • Submit Test Scores
  • HCC Open admission
  • Howard College Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • HCC
  • Howard College

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • HCC 23:1
  • Howard College 25:1
  • Popular Majors
  • HCC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (48%)
    • Business (16%)
    • Health Professions (13%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (4%)
  • Howard College
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (43%)
    • Health Professions (23%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Personal and Culinary Services (7%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • HCC -
  • Howard College -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • HCC $38,200
  • Howard College $34,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • HCC 25%
  • Howard College 41%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • HCC $10,500
  • Howard College $6,750
  • Median Loan Payment
  • HCC $108
  • Howard College $69

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • HCC 42%
  • Howard College 38%
  • % Women
  • HCC 58%
  • Howard College 62%
  • Racial Diversity
  • HCC Very High
  • Howard College High
  • HBCU
  • HCC No
  • Howard College No
  • % White
  • HCC 14%
  • Howard College 45%
  • % Asian
  • HCC 9%
  • Howard College 1%
  • % Black
  • HCC 30%
  • Howard College 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • HCC 33%
  • Howard College 48%
  • % Native American
  • HCC 0%
  • Howard College 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • HCC 0%
  • Howard College 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • HCC 2%
  • Howard College 2%
  • % International
  • HCC 10%
  • Howard College 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • HCC 2%
  • Howard College 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • HCC 88%
  • Howard College 94%
  • % Out-of-State
  • HCC 1%
  • Howard College 4%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • HCC No
  • Howard College Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • HCC No
  • Howard College No
  • Meal Plan
  • HCC No
  • Howard College Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • HCC Yes
  • Howard College Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • HCC Yes
  • Howard College Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Houston Community College in Houston, TX with Howard College in Big Spring, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Houston Community College is larger than Howard College based on total student enrollment (53,253 students vs. 4,101 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Houston Community College is located in Houston, TX (Large City setting); Howard College is in Big Spring, TX (Remote Town setting).
  • Houston Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Howard College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Houston Community College 23:1; Howard College 25:1.

HCC vs. Howard College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HCC or Howard College? 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 Houston Community College than Howard College ($5,734 vs. $6,491).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Howard College are 35% lower than at Houston Community College ($6,064 vs. $9,330).
  • Howard College is 21.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than HCC (about $922 more per year; $5,266.00 vs. $4,344.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 23% higher at Howard College than at Houston Community College (about $1,256 more per year; $6,716.00 vs. $5,460.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard College than at Houston Community College (81% vs. 69%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard College students is 10.7% larger than aid received by Houston Community College students ($7,494 vs. $6,768).

HCC vs. Howard College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, HCC or Howard College? 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 Howard College 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; Howard College - Open admission.

HCC vs. Howard College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for HCC and Howard College? 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 $4,200 more per year than Howard College graduates about ten years after starting college ($38,200 vs. $34,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Howard College graduates have a $3,750 lower median loan debt than HCC graduates ($6,750 vs. $10,500).
  • Among borrowers, Howard College graduates have an estimated $39 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than HCC graduates ($69 vs. $108).
  • More Howard College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HCC students, three years after graduation. (41% 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.