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Big Spring, TX · Vernon, TX
| Howard College | Vernon College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $6,147/yr | $6,404/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $4,301/yr | $4,244/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $9,500 | $11,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $6,056/yr | $4,501/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $7,068/yr | $7,337/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $9,934/yr | $10,738/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $12,329/yr | $11,712/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $101/mo | $117/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $6,064/yr | $6,320/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $9,313/yr | $7,584/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,690/yr | $1,600/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $6,091/yr | $4,350/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $13,858/yr | $14,564/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $2,766/yr | $3,720/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $6,716/yr | $6,120/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 24% | 42% |
| Students taking federal loans | 8.7% | 30% |
| Getting in | ||
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 35% | 21% |
| Freshmen who come back | 71% | 41% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $38,382/yr | $40,464/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $20,950–$57,845 | $22,354–$63,679 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 32% | 30% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $32,428/yr | $34,881/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 55% | 57% |
| Graduate on time | 26% | 14% |
| First-gen students who finish | 25% | 28% |
| Low-income students who finish | 24% | 25% |
| Students who transfer out | 8% | 8.5% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $34,358/yr | $37,265/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Health Professions 38% · Business, Management & Marketing 13% · Culinary & Personal Services 9% | Health Professions 40% · Liberal Arts & General Studies 29% · Precision Production 7% |
| Most popular program | Health Professions — 38% of degrees | Health Professions — 40% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 13% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 29% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Culinary & Personal Services — 9% of degrees | Precision Production — 7% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Education — 8% of degrees | Culinary & Personal Services — 6% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 7% of degrees | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 5% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $74,542/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $71,856/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 9.4% | 6.7% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 1,611 | 2,113 |
| Students per professor | 25 : 1 | 15 : 1 |
| Average professor pay | $5,756/mo | $5,784/mo |
| Full-time professors | 100% | 50% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Median family income | $25,011 | $25,710 |
| Setting | Town (remote) | Town (remote) |
| Location | Big Spring, TX | Vernon, TX |
| Region | Southwest | Southwest |
| Founded | 1945 | 1970 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Associate degrees | Associate degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-High Nontraditional | Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-High Traditional |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0% | 0.3% |
| Men | 28% | 36% |
| Women | 72% | 64% |
| White students | 39% | 53% |
| Black students | 4.5% | 7.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 50% | 27% |
| Asian students | 0.7% | 2% |
| Two or more races | 2.7% | 3% |
| Other / not reported | 2.4% | 7.9% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 51% | 46% |
| Part-time students | 46% | 68% |
| Students age 25+ | 15% | 30% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $6,239/yr | $5,999/yr |
| Endowment | $7.6M | $6.1M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 252 | 146 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $1,650/yr | $1,000/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $4,188/yr | $5,138/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | 19 meals/week | 15 meals/week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | No | No |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | No | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | No | No |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | No | No |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | No |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | No | No |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NJCAA Division I | NJCAA Division I |
| Football team | No | No |
| Varsity teams | 6 | 5 |
| Student athletes | 101 | 104 |
| Athletic scholarships | $1.0M | $660,853 |
| Athletics budget | $2.9M | $1.6M |
| Athletics revenue | $2.9M | $1.6M |
| Recruiting spend | $46,152 | $13,455 |
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, logo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.