Houston City College is a public institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Houston, Texas. It enrolls 40,503 students (a very large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Open / Online). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
64/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes13
Value86
Affordability66
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Admissions data is not yet reported for Houston City College.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Houston City College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $5,737 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$5,737
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
36%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
15%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$2,040
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$5,460
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,330
Books & Supplies
$2,250
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,300
Total Cost of Attendance
$12,009
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$5,722
$30,001 – $48,000
$4,271
$48,001 – $75,000
$6,534
$75,001 – $110,000
$8,363
Over $110,000
$10,123
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,89410%percentile
$3,50025%percentile
$13,921Medianpercentile
$12,00075%percentile
$22,52290%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $9,499
↓ $4,422
No Pell $5,750
↓ $8,171
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $8,421
Independent students $9,501
↓ $4,420
Female students $9,499
↓ $4,422
Male students $7,535
↓ $6,386
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,750, less than completers ($13,921), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
14% of full-time students who enrolled at Houston City College graduate within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
14%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
—
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Houston City College earn a median of $39,254 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$39,254
Earning > $25K
62%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$35,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$46,600
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$37,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$42,500
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$53,400
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $11,500, about 25% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
21.9 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 60% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Houston City College is home to 40,503 students, a sprawling student community. Some distinctive traits: 50% are first-generation college students, 61% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
40,503
Part-Time
61%
First-Generation
50%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 36.9%14,938
Black 27.5%11,150
White 10.3%4,188
International 10.1%4,087
Asian 9.5%3,844
Other 2.6%1,057
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Houston City College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CityHouston, Texas
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
33%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Houston City College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
91 distinct programs across
27 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Houston City College is 20:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
20:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$4,290
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$11M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$77,342
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
854 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Instructors
854
100%
$77,342
Pros & Cons of Houston City College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Houston City College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Wide variety of programs and student life
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Large institutional setting can feel impersonal
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for:
Based on the data, Houston City College is a fit for
families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options; students who want a large campus with breadth and variety.
Frequently Asked Questions about Houston City College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Houston City College.
How much does Houston City College cost?
The average net price after aid at Houston City College is $5,737 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Houston City College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $39,254 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $5,737 per year. That's roughly 6.8x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Houston City College known for?
Houston City College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Biology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Houston City College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Houston City College are $39,254, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Houston City College accredited?
Yes. Houston City College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Houston City College?
Houston City College enrolls 40,503 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Houston City College?
Houston City College graduates 14% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Houston City College a public or private college?
Houston City College is a Public institution.
Where is Houston City College located?
Houston City College is located in Houston, Texas.
What programs does Houston City College offer?
Houston City College offers 91 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Biology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Houston City College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Houston City College is 20:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Rankings That Feature Houston City College
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