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Compare Houston City College vs Lone Star College System

Houston, TX · The Woodlands, TX

Houston City CollegeLone Star College System
Cost
Price after aid (average)$5,737/yr$11,252/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$5,722/yr$10,657/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$13,921$8,600
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$4,271/yr$11,515/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$6,534/yr$11,128/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$8,363/yr$13,120/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$10,123/yr$14,572/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$148/mo$91/mo
Room & board (off campus)$9,330/yr$10,756/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$2,250/yr$2,550/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$12,009/yr$15,521/yr
Tuition (in-state)$2,040/yr$3,330/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$5,460/yr$9,390/yr
Students with Pell Grants36%23%
Students taking federal loans15%7.3%
Getting in
SAT/ACT policyOpen admission (everyone qualified gets in)Open admission (everyone qualified gets in)
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate17%21%
Typical earnings 10 years in$39,254/yr$42,466/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$18,789–$61,121$21,624–$63,661
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)20%22%
White students graduating15%20%
Black students graduating14%12%
Hispanic students graduating17%22%
Asian students graduating18%32%
Typical earnings 6 years in$31,319/yr$32,889/yr
Earn more than a HS grad61%63%
Pell students who graduate16%21%
First-gen students who finish14%13%
Low-income students who finish13%11%
Students who transfer out17%29%
Typical earnings 8 years in$34,776/yr$36,919/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsLiberal Arts & General Studies 22% · Business, Management & Marketing 18% · Health Professions 12%Liberal Arts & General Studies 51% · Business, Management & Marketing 14% · Health Professions 9%
Most popular programLiberal Arts & General Studies — 22% of degreesLiberal Arts & General Studies — 51% of degrees
2nd most popular programBusiness, Management & Marketing — 18% of degreesBusiness, Management & Marketing — 14% of degrees
3rd most popular programHealth Professions — 12% of degreesHealth Professions — 9% of degrees
4th most popular programBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 9% of degreesComputer & Information Sciences — 5% of degrees
5th most popular programComputer & Information Sciences — 7% of degreesMechanic & Repair Technologies — 4% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $67,098/yrNo data reported
Degrees in STEM19%8.2%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment40,50345,188
Students per professor23 : 122 : 1
Average professor pay$8,308/mo$8,339/mo
Full-time professors36%100%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited bySouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Median family income$19,772$22,787
SettingCity (large)City (midsize)
LocationHouston, TXThe Woodlands, TX
RegionSouthwestSouthwest
Founded19711973
Public or privatePublicPublic
Main degree offeredAssociate degreesAssociate degrees
Carnegie classificationAssociate's Colleges: High Transfer-High TraditionalAssociate's Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students10%4.5%
Men41%41%
Women59%59%
White students10%21%
Black students28%15%
Hispanic or Latino students37%46%
Asian students9.5%6.4%
Two or more races2.4%3.5%
Other / not reported3.3%3%
Special typeNoneNone
First-generation students50%51%
Part-time students61%64%
Students age 25+33%19%
Spent on teaching per student$5,870/yr$3,998/yr
Endowment$17.1M$23.9M
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingNo — no campus housingNo — no campus housing
Meal plan offeredNoNo
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadNoNo
Undergraduate researchNoNo
ROTCYes — Air ForceNo
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoNo
Credit for life experienceYesYes
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineYesYes
Weekend & evening classesYesYes
Teacher certificationYesYes
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesYesNo
On-campus day careYesYes
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolNoYes
Credit for military trainingYesYes
Student veteran organizationYesYes
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planNoYes
Athletics
College sports levelNo intercollegiate athletics reportedNo intercollegiate athletics reported

Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.