Howard College vs. Lamar State College-Orange

Comparable Facts

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

Howard College is larger than Lamar State College-Orange based on total student enrollment (4,101 students vs. 3,629 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Howard College vs. Lamar State College-Orange Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard College or Lamar State College-Orange? 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 Lamar State College Orange than Howard College ($600 vs. $6,491).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Howard College are 36.1% lower than at Lamar State College Orange ($6,064 vs. $9,486).
• Howard College is 48.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Lamar State College-Orange (about $1,726 more per year; $5,266.00 vs. $3,540.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 157.3% higher at Lamar State College-Orange than at Howard College (about $10,564 more per year; $17,280.00 vs. $6,716.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard College than at Lamar State College Orange (81% vs. 70%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Howard College students is 18.9% larger than aid received by Lamar State College Orange students ($7,494 vs. $6,302).

Howard College vs. Lamar State College-Orange Admissions comparison

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

Howard College vs. Lamar State College-Orange Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard College and Lamar State College-Orange? 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 Howard College earn a median of about $1,700 more per year than Lamar State College-Orange graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,000 vs. $32,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Howard College graduates have a $4,750 lower median loan debt than Lamar State College-Orange graduates ($6,750 vs. $11,500).
• Among borrowers, Howard College graduates have an estimated $49 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Lamar State College-Orange graduates ($69 vs. $118).
• More Howard College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lamar State College-Orange students, three years after graduation. (41% vs. 33%)

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.