NCTC vs. Howard College

Comparable Facts

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

North Central Texas College is larger than Howard College based on total student enrollment (8,106 students vs. 4,101 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• North Central Texas College is located in Gainesville, TX (Distant Town setting); Howard College is in Big Spring, TX (Remote Town setting).
• North Central Texas College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Howard College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: North Central Texas College 19:1; Howard College 25:1.

NCTC vs. Howard College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NCTC 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 North Central Texas College than Howard College ($5,163 vs. $6,491).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Howard College are 0.6% lower than at North Central Texas College ($6,064 vs. $6,102).
• Howard College is 3.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than NCTC (about $178 more per year; $5,266.00 vs. $5,088.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 17% higher at Howard College than at North Central Texas College (about $977 more per year; $6,716.00 vs. $5,739.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard College than at North Central Texas College (81% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Howard College students is 46.3% larger than aid received by North Central Texas College students ($7,494 vs. $5,123).

NCTC vs. Howard College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, NCTC 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 NCTC.

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

NCTC vs. Howard College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for NCTC 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 North Central Texas College earn a median of about $3,200 more per year than Howard College graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,200 vs. $34,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Howard College and NCTC graduates have the same median loan debt ($6,750 vs. $6,750).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Howard College and NCTC graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($69 vs. $69).
• More Howard College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NCTC students, three years after graduation. (41% vs. 40%)

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.