HCC vs. Southwest Texas College

Comparable Facts

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

Houston Community College is larger than Southwest Texas College based on total student enrollment (53,253 students vs. 6,525 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Houston Community College is located in Houston, TX (Large City setting); Southwest Texas College is in Uvalde, TX (Rural Fringe setting).
• Houston Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Southwest Texas College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Houston Community College 23:1; Southwest Texas College 28:1.

HCC vs. Southwest Texas College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HCC or Southwest Texas 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 Southwest Texas College ($5,734 vs. $6,429).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwest Texas College are 31.4% lower than at Houston Community College ($6,400 vs. $9,330).
• Houston Community College is 0.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Southwest Texas College (about $18 more per year; $4,344.00 vs. $4,326.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 15.3% higher at Southwest Texas College than at Houston Community College (about $834 more per year; $6,294.00 vs. $5,460.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southwest Texas College than at Houston Community College (84% vs. 69%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwest Texas College students is 6% larger than aid received by Houston Community College students ($7,177 vs. $6,768).

HCC vs. Southwest Texas College Admissions comparison

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

HCC vs. Southwest Texas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for HCC and Southwest Texas 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 $5,000 more per year than Southwest Texas College graduates about ten years after starting college ($38,200 vs. $33,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Southwest Texas College graduates have a $5,000 lower median loan debt than HCC graduates ($5,500 vs. $10,500).
• Among borrowers, Southwest Texas College graduates have an estimated $52 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than HCC graduates ($56 vs. $108).
• More Southwest Texas College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HCC students, three years after graduation. (38% 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.