Howard College vs. COM

Comparable Facts

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

College of the Mainland is larger than Howard College based on total student enrollment (5,127 students vs. 4,101 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Howard College is located in Big Spring, TX (Remote Town setting); College of the Mainland is in Texas City, TX (Small Suburban setting).
• Howard 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: Howard College 25:1; College of the Mainland 18:1.

Howard College vs. COM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard College 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 Howard College ($3,252 vs. $6,491).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Howard College are 2.8% lower than at College of the Mainland ($6,064 vs. $6,236).
• Howard College is 52.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than COM (about $1,816 more per year; $5,266.00 vs. $3,450.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 62.2% higher at Howard College than at College of the Mainland (about $2,576 more per year; $6,716.00 vs. $4,140.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Howard College as at College of the Mainland (81% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Howard College students is 44.4% larger than aid received by College of the Mainland students ($7,494 vs. $5,191).

Howard College vs. COM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Howard College 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 Howard College.

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

Howard College vs. COM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard College 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 College of the Mainland earn a median of about $1,600 more per year than Howard College graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,600 vs. $34,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Howard College graduates have a $474 lower median loan debt than COM graduates ($6,750 vs. $7,224).
• Among borrowers, Howard College graduates have an estimated $5 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than COM graduates ($69 vs. $74).
• More Howard College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former COM students, three years after graduation. (41% vs. 31%)

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.