Howard Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Columbia, Maryland. It enrolls 6,649 students (a 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.
AccreditorMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
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
59/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes31
Value60
Affordability37
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Howard Community 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 Community 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 $11,133 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$11,133
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
27%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
7%
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)
$4,080
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$9,624
Room & Board (off-campus)
$24,498
Books & Supplies
$2,400
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,969
Total Cost of Attendance
$16,774
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
$9,714
$30,001 – $48,000
$9,924
$48,001 – $75,000
$12,198
$75,001 – $110,000
$14,104
Over $110,000
$15,881
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.
$1,70010%percentile
$3,00025%percentile
$10,500Medianpercentile
$10,75075%percentile
$19,00090%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 $9,116
↓ $1,384
No Pell $6,116
↓ $4,384
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $5,000
Independent students $9,500
↓ $1,000
Female students $9,000
↓ $1,500
Male students $6,000
↓ $4,500
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,000, close to what completers borrow ($10,500) but without the degree to show for it.
Graduation Rate & Retention
17% of full-time students who enrolled at Howard Community College graduate within six years, and 67% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
17%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
67%
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 Community College earn a median of $49,020 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$49,020
Earning > $25K
71%
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
$41,200
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$48,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$42,200
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$45,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$47,200
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $7,200, about 15% 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 ↑
16.6 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 75% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Howard Community College is home to 6,649 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 39% are first-generation college students, 69% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
6,649
Part-Time
69%
First-Generation
39%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Black 31.6%2,098
White 21.7%1,440
Hispanic 15.5%1,027
Asian 12.2%810
International 7.5%498
Other 6.8%451
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Howard Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Midsize CityColumbia, Maryland
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
27%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Howard Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
33 distinct programs across
12 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 Community College is 13:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$9,130
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$13M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$79,248
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
181 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
71
39%
$89,052
Associate Professors
63
35%
$75,740
Assistant Professors
31
17%
$71,263
Instructors
16
9%
$65,025
Pros & Cons of Howard Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Howard Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Low typical debt at graduation
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Howard Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Howard Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Howard Community College.
Is Howard Community College hard to get into?
Howard Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Howard Community College?
Howard Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Howard Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Howard Community College is $11,133 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Howard Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $49,020 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $11,133 per year. That's roughly 4.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Howard Community College known for?
Howard Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Business. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Howard Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Howard Community College are $49,020, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Howard Community College accredited?
Yes. Howard Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Howard Community College?
Howard Community College enrolls 6,649 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Howard Community College?
Howard Community College graduates 17% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Howard Community College a public or private college?
Howard Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Howard Community College located?
Howard Community College is located in Columbia, Maryland.
What programs does Howard Community College offer?
Howard Community College offers 33 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Business.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Howard Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Howard Community College is 13:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Maryland
Other colleges in Maryland share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Liberal Arts
Science Technologies/Technicians
Business
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