TVCC vs. COM

Comparable Facts

Compare Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, TX with College of the Mainland in Texas City, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Trinity Valley Community College is larger than COM based on total student enrollment (5,961 students vs. 5,127 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Trinity Valley Community College is located in Athens, TX (Distant Town setting); College of the Mainland is in Texas City, TX (Small Suburban setting).
• Trinity Valley Community 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: Trinity Valley Community College 21:1; College of the Mainland 18:1.

TVCC vs. COM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TVCC 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 TVCC ($3,252 vs. $5,015).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Mainland are 17.2% lower than at Trinity Valley Community College ($6,236 vs. $7,534).
• Trinity Valley Community College is 42.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than COM (about $1,470 more per year; $4,920.00 vs. $3,450.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 44.2% higher at TVCC than at College of the Mainland (about $1,830 more per year; $5,970.00 vs. $4,140.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of the Mainland than at Trinity Valley Community College (81% vs. 65%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Trinity Valley Community College students is 84.6% larger than aid received by College of the Mainland students ($9,582 vs. $5,191).

TVCC vs. COM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, TVCC 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 TVCC.

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

TVCC vs. COM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for TVCC 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 $1,500 more per year than TVCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,600 vs. $34,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of the Mainland graduates have a $2,026 lower median loan debt than TVCC graduates ($7,224 vs. $9,250).
• Among borrowers, COM graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than TVCC graduates ($74 vs. $95).
• More COM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TVCC students, three years after graduation. (31% vs. 30%)

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.