Howard College vs. MCC

Deciding between Howard College and McLennan Community 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.

Howard College

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Howard College Big Spring, TX
  • MCC Waco, TX
  • Setting
  • Howard College Remote Town
  • MCC Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Howard College 4,101
  • MCC 7,850
  • Type
  • Howard College Public 2 Year
  • MCC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Howard College
  • MCC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Howard College -
  • MCC -
  • Status
  • Howard College Non-profit
  • MCC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Howard College
  • MCC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Howard College $2,766
  • MCC $3,660
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Howard College $6,716
  • MCC $5,910
  • Room & Board
  • Howard College $6,064
  • MCC $8,424
  • Average Net Price
  • Howard College $6,491
  • MCC $4,927
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Howard College $7,494
  • MCC $8,007
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Howard College 81%
  • MCC 82%

  • Admissions

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

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Howard College 25:1
  • MCC 15:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Howard College
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (43%)
    • Health Professions (23%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Personal and Culinary Services (7%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • MCC
    • Health Professions (38%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (29%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
    • Personal and Culinary Services (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Howard College -
  • MCC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Howard College $34,000
  • MCC $33,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Howard College 41%
  • MCC 28%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Howard College $6,750
  • MCC $10,366
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Howard College $69
  • MCC $107

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Howard College 38%
  • MCC 33%
  • % Women
  • Howard College 62%
  • MCC 67%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Howard College High
  • MCC High
  • HBCU
  • Howard College No
  • MCC No
  • % White
  • Howard College 45%
  • MCC 52%
  • % Asian
  • Howard College 1%
  • MCC 1%
  • % Black
  • Howard College 3%
  • MCC 14%
  • % Hispanic
  • Howard College 48%
  • MCC 29%
  • % Native American
  • Howard College 0%
  • MCC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Howard College 0%
  • MCC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Howard College 2%
  • MCC 3%
  • % International
  • Howard College 1%
  • MCC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Howard College 0%
  • MCC 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Howard College 94%
  • MCC 98%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Howard College 4%
  • MCC 2%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

McLennan Community College is larger than Howard College based on total student enrollment (7,850 students vs. 4,101 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Howard College is located in Big Spring, TX (Remote Town setting); McLennan Community College is in Waco, TX (Midsize City setting).
  • Howard College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. McLennan Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Howard College 25:1; McLennan Community College 15:1.

Howard College vs. MCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard College or MCC? 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 McLennan Community College than Howard College ($4,927 vs. $6,491).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Howard College are 28% lower than at McLennan Community College ($6,064 vs. $8,424).
  • Howard College is 25.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than MCC (about $1,066 more per year; $5,266.00 vs. $4,200.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 13.6% higher at Howard College than at McLennan Community College (about $806 more per year; $6,716.00 vs. $5,910.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at McLennan Community College than at Howard College (82% vs. 81%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by McLennan Community College students is 6.8% larger than aid received by Howard College students ($8,007 vs. $7,494).

Howard College vs. MCC Admissions comparison

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

Howard College vs. MCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard College and MCC? 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 $200 more per year than MCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,000 vs. $33,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Howard College graduates have a $3,616 lower median loan debt than MCC graduates ($6,750 vs. $10,366).
  • Among borrowers, Howard College graduates have an estimated $38 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than MCC graduates ($69 vs. $107).
  • More Howard College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCC students, three years after graduation. (41% vs. 28%)

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.