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Lamar State College-Port Arthur

Public Associate Strong 74/100

Lamar State College-Port Arthur

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Port Arthur, Texas

About Lamar State College-Port Arthur

Lamar State College-Port Arthur is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Port Arthur, Texas. It enrolls 1,508 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.

Official website: lamarpa.edu

Acceptance: Open
Graduation: 26%
Net Price: $2,846
Median Earnings (10yr): $37,120
Enrollment: 1,508
Student : Faculty: 22:1

Accreditor Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Academic Calendar Semester

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.

Strong

74/100

UCD Score · 2-Year

Outcomes 48

Value 96

Affordability 53

Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

As a two-year college, Lamar State College-Port Arthur 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 Lamar State College-Port Arthur 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 $2,846 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.

Average Net Price

$2,846

Per year, after typical aid

Receive Pell Grants

21%

Need-based federal aid

Receive Federal Loans

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): $1,770
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state): $8,070
Room & Board (off-campus): $11,300
Books & Supplies: $1,500
Other Expenses (off-campus): $4,780
Total Cost of Attendance: $10,754

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

$1,137
$30,001 – $48,000

$1,554
$48,001 – $75,000

$3,959
$75,001 – $110,000

$9,110
Over $110,000

$9,346

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.

$1,750

10% percentile

$2,750

25% percentile

$13,250

Median percentile

$10,092

75% percentile

$17,500

90% 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 $7,750 ↓ $5,500

No Pell $6,500 ↓ $6,750

Dependent students $5,500 ↓ $7,750

Independent students $9,500 ↓ $3,750

Female students $7,500 ↓ $5,750

Male students $6,252 ↓ $6,998

Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,252, less than completers ($13,250), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

26% of full-time students who enrolled at Lamar State College-Port Arthur 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 Lamar State College-Port Arthur earn a median of $37,120 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)

$37,120

Earning > $25K

60%

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

$30,400

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates

$53,300

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $22,900, about 43% 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 ↑ 9.6 pts across 6 years

What this signals: Moderate. Only 51% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Lamar State College-Port Arthur is home to 1,508 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 51% are first-generation college students, 55% study part-time.

Total Enrolled

1,508

Part-Time

55%

First-Generation

51%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents

Hispanic 36.7% 553

Black 31.4% 473

White 26.3% 397

Asian 2.7% 41

Other 1.3% 19

International 0.1% 2

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Lamar State College-Port Arthur. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting

Small City Port Arthur, Texas

Housing

Commuter campus No on-campus housing

Adult Learners

15% of students are 25 or older

Athletics

NCAA athletic-conference member

Academic Calendar

Semester scheduling structure

Designation

Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)

What You Can Study

Lamar State College-Port Arthur offers a varied set of programs: 26 distinct programs across 14 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.

5 Programs

Health

Practical Nursing $39K ($22K–$72K)
Nursing $89K ($68K–$114K)
Health Administration $59K ($42K–$80K)

1 Program

Liberal Arts

Liberal Arts $53K ($36K–$73K)

3 Programs

Business

Business Administration $68K ($48K–$94K)
Accounting $76K ($56K–$97K)
Business Operations Support and Assistant $28K ($20K–$49K)

1 Program

Science Tech

Physical Science Technologies/Technicians

2 Programs

Engineering Tech

Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians $84K ($66K–$103K)
Drafting/Design Engineering Tech $72K ($57K–$86K)

4 Programs

Visual & Performing Arts

Music $43K ($26K–$59K)
Fine Arts $41K ($26K–$57K)
Design $51K ($33K–$71K)

1 Program

Recreation & Fitness

Kinesiology $55K ($39K–$73K)

1 Program

Legal Studies

Legal Support $53K ($39K–$70K)

View all majors View all programs

Faculty & Resources

The student-to-faculty ratio at Lamar State College-Port Arthur is 22:1, on the higher side.

Student : Faculty

22:1

Students per instructional faculty member

Instruction / Student

$8,436

Annual instructional spending per enrolled student

Avg Faculty Salary

$47,212

9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

63 instructional faculty across 5 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	2	3%	$56,922
Associate Professors	1	2%	$63,227
Assistant Professors	2	3%	$57,753
Instructors	57	90%	$46,251
No Rank	1	2%	$45,500

Pros & Cons of Lamar State College-Port Arthur

A quick at-a-glance summary of how Lamar State College-Port Arthur 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
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options

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, Lamar State College-Port Arthur 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 Lamar State College-Port Arthur

Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Lamar State College-Port Arthur.

Is Lamar State College-Port Arthur hard to get into?

Lamar State College-Port Arthur has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.

What is the acceptance rate at Lamar State College-Port Arthur?

Lamar State College-Port Arthur has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.

How much does Lamar State College-Port Arthur cost?

The average net price after aid at Lamar State College-Port Arthur is $2,846 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Is Lamar State College-Port Arthur worth it?

Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $37,120 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $2,846 per year. That's roughly 13.0x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

What is Lamar State College-Port Arthur known for?

Lamar State College-Port Arthur is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Practical Nursing, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

What do Lamar State College-Port Arthur graduates earn?

Median earnings 10 years after entering Lamar State College-Port Arthur are $37,120, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.

Is Lamar State College-Port Arthur accredited?

Yes. Lamar State College-Port Arthur is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

How many students attend Lamar State College-Port Arthur?

Lamar State College-Port Arthur enrolls 1,508 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.

What is the graduation rate at Lamar State College-Port Arthur?

Lamar State College-Port Arthur graduates 26% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

Is Lamar State College-Port Arthur a public or private college?

Lamar State College-Port Arthur is a Public institution.

Where is Lamar State College-Port Arthur located?

Lamar State College-Port Arthur is located in Port Arthur, Texas.

What programs does Lamar State College-Port Arthur offer?

Lamar State College-Port Arthur offers 26 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Practical Nursing, Nursing.

What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Lamar State College-Port Arthur?

The student-to-faculty ratio at Lamar State College-Port Arthur is 22:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.