Howard College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Big Spring, Texas. It enrolls 1,611 students (a mid-sized 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 (2-Year). 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
66/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes36
Value78
Affordability47
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Howard College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Howard 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 $6,147 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$6,147
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
24%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
9%
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)
$2,766
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$6,716
Room & Board (on-campus)
$6,064
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,313
Books & Supplies
$1,690
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$6,091
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,091
Total Cost of Attendance
$13,858
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
$4,301
$30,001 – $48,000
$6,056
$48,001 – $75,000
$7,068
$75,001 – $110,000
$9,934
Over $110,000
$12,329
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.
$1,75010%percentile
$2,75025%percentile
$9,500Medianpercentile
$9,50075%percentile
$14,07890%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 $7,000
↓ $2,500
No Pell $5,500
↓ $4,000
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $4,000
Independent students $8,127
↓ $1,373
Female students $6,285
↓ $3,215
Male students $5,500
↓ $4,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,119, less than completers ($9,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
26% of full-time students who enrolled at Howard College graduate within six years, and 65% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
26%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
65%
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 Howard College earn a median of $38,382 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$38,382
Earning > $25K
64%
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
$29,200
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$48,700
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$31,800
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$39,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$51,700
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $19,500, about 40% 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 ↑
12.2 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 63% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Howard College is home to 1,611 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 51% are first-generation college students, 46% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
1,611
Part-Time
46%
First-Generation
51%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 50.5%813
White 39.2%632
Black 4.5%73
Other 3.7%59
Asian 0.7%11
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Howard College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: RemoteBig Spring, Texas
Housing
Partly residential252 beds available
Adult Learners
15%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Howard College offers
a varied set of programs:
33 distinct programs across
21 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 Howard College is 25:1, high (larger classes are common).
Student : Faculty
25:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$8,592
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$6.9M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$52,891
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
89 instructional faculty across 4 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
Full Professors
7
8%
$58,131
Associate Professors
33
37%
$55,867
Assistant Professors
15
17%
$48,223
Instructors
34
38%
$50,982
Pros & Cons of Howard College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Howard College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Howard College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Howard College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Howard College.
Is Howard College hard to get into?
Howard College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Howard College?
Howard College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Howard College cost?
The average net price after aid at Howard College is $6,147 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Howard College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $38,382 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $6,147 per year. That's roughly 6.2x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Howard College known for?
Howard College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Cosmetology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Howard College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Howard College are $38,382, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Howard College accredited?
Yes. Howard College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Howard College?
Howard College enrolls 1,611 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Howard College?
Howard College graduates 26% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Howard College a public or private college?
Howard College is a Public institution.
Where is Howard College located?
Howard College is located in Big Spring, Texas.
What programs does Howard College offer?
Howard College offers 33 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Cosmetology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Howard College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Howard College is 25:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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