Howard College
Big Spring, Texas · Also known as Howard County Junior College · Website
$38,382
median earnings, 10 years after starting
$38,382
median earnings, 10 years after starting
Howard College is a public 2-year college in Big Spring, Texas with 1,611 undergraduates. Its average net price after grants is $6,147 a year (tuition and fees $2,766 in-state, $6,716 out-of-state). 35% of students finish within 3 years. Former students earn a median $38,382 a year 10 years after they started, and graduates leave with a median $9,500 in federal student loans.
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · June 2026 data
Net price
$6,147
US median $17,138
Tuition in-state
$2,766
Out-of-state $6,716
Admission rate
Open
Completion rate
35%
Within 3 years, US 58%
Median debt
$9,500
About $101 a month
Earnings at 10 years
$38,382
Rank 2,973 of 5,094 in the US
Cost
What a year costs: posted prices and the average after grants
Net price by family income
Average yearly cost after grants, for students who get aid
- Net price
- $6,147
- Tuition in-state
- $2,766
- Tuition out-of-state
- $6,716
- Cost of attendance
- $13,858
- Students with a need-based grant
- 24%
- Students with federal loans
- 8.7%
- Net price, family income under $30K
- $4,301
- Net price, family income $30K to $48K
- $6,056
- Net price, family income $48K to $75K
- $7,068
- Net price, family income $75K to $110K
- $9,934
- Net price, family income over $110K
- $12,329
Net price is what students who get aid pay on average after grants.
Tuition and net price by year
School years 2015-16 to 2024-25. The year on the chart is the year the school year starts.
Yearly cost
Tuition and fees went from $2,542 in 2015-16 to $2,766 in 2024-25.
Admission, completion and retention
Share of applicants admitted, of students who finish and of first-year students who come back
Admission and students
- Admission rate
- Open admission
- Undergraduates
- 1,611
- Part-time students
- 46%
- Women
- 72%
- Students per teacher
- 25
- Completion rate
- 35%
- Retention rate
- 71%
- Highest degree
- Associate's degree
- Programs
- 53
- Endowment
- $7.56M
- Other
- Hispanic-serving, Open admission
Earnings and debt
Compared with the medians of the colleges of its state, of colleges of the same kind and of all US colleges
Median earnings 10 years after starting rank 2,973 of 5,094 US colleges and 163 of 324 in Texas (1 = highest).
| Measure | College | TX median | Same kind | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net price | $6,147 | $18,447 | $7,702 | $17,138 |
| Tuition in-state | $2,766 | $9,940 | $4,656 | $11,837 |
| Admission rate | - | 84% | 79% | 78% |
| Completion rate | 35% | 59% | 38% | 58% |
| Retention rate | 71% | 74% | 64% | 75% |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $10,667 | $10,417 | $13,271 |
| Earnings after 6 years | $32,428 | $32,765 | $33,563 | $35,656 |
| Earnings after 10 years | $38,382 | $38,474 | $38,555 | $40,813 |
Best-paid programs
Median earnings 1 year after graduation
Same kind: US public 2-year colleges. Earnings and debt are medians of former students who received federal student aid. 42% of borrowers lowered their balance within 3 years. 55% earn more than a typical high school graduate 6 years after starting.
Programs
53 fields of study and credentials, with graduates, debt and earnings
| Field of study | Graduates | Median debt | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | US median 4 yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's | Associate's | 94 | $7,700 | $36,240 | $50,103 | $44,125 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's | Associate's | 69 | $12,062 | $74,542 | $88,935 | $80,813 |
| Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming ServicesCertificate | Certificate | 68 | Withheld | $13,529 | $23,568 | $26,307 |
| Business/Commerce, GeneralAssociate's | Associate's | 58 | $7,000 | Withheld | $45,139 | $49,927 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory ProgramsAssociate's | Associate's | 44 | $9,690 | $18,922 | $49,287 | $51,711 |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing AssistantsCertificate | Certificate | 41 | $8,500 | $44,111 | $77,012 | $56,073 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsAssociate's | Associate's | 30 | Withheld | $57,122 | $75,720 | $65,389 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsAssociate's | Associate's | 26 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $37,656 |
| Criminal Justice and CorrectionsAssociate's | Associate's | 22 | Withheld | $33,724 | $45,025 | $46,706 |
| Environmental Control Technologies/TechniciansCertificate | Certificate | 21 | - | - | Withheld | - |
| Agriculture, GeneralAssociate's | Associate's | 18 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $45,683 |
| Business/Commerce, GeneralCertificate | Certificate | 15 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $60,097 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting ServicesCertificate | Certificate | 14 | Withheld | $27,268 | $35,601 | $34,272 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied ProfessionsAssociate's | Associate's | 12 | Withheld | $54,428 | $70,345 | $61,982 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsCertificate | Certificate | 12 | Withheld | $50,508 | $70,141 | $57,584 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralCertificate | Certificate | 11 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $50,984 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralAssociate's | Associate's | 11 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $54,246 |
| Psychology, GeneralAssociate's | Associate's | 11 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $39,288 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/TechnicianCertificate | Certificate | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $57,671 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessAssociate's | Associate's | 9 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $40,162 |
| Biology, GeneralAssociate's | Associate's | 8 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $44,758 |
| Social WorkAssociate's | Associate's | 7 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $39,409 |
| Engineering, GeneralAssociate's | Associate's | 6 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $72,916 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/TechniciansCertificate | Certificate | 5 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $57,294 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralAssociate's | Associate's | 4 | Withheld | - | Withheld | - |
In the area
- Jobs, pay and new homes: the county of Big Spring and Texas on Local Economy
- More colleges: All colleges in Texas
- Homes: Homes for sale in Texas
Questions and answers
How much does Howard College cost?
$6,147 a year is the average net price at Howard College after grants and scholarships. Tuition and fees are $2,766 for in-state students and $6,716 for out-of-state students, and the full cost of attendance with housing, food and books is $13,858. Families earning under $30,000 pay $4,301 on average.
What is the acceptance rate at Howard College?
Howard College has open admission: it accepts students who meet its basic requirements, such as a high school diploma.
How much do Howard College graduates earn?
$38,382 a year is the median pay of former Howard College students who work, 10 years after they started ($32,428 after 6 years). That ranks 2,973 of 5,094 US colleges and 163 of 324 in Texas. Its best-paid program one year after graduation is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's) at $74,542.
How much student debt do Howard College graduates have?
$9,500 is the median federal student loan debt of Howard College graduates, about $101 a month over 10 years. The median across US colleges is $13,271. 8.7% of undergraduates take out federal loans.
What is the graduation rate at Howard College?
35% of first-time, full-time students at Howard College finish within 3 years. 71% of first-year students come back for a second year. The median of public 2-year colleges is 38%.
What are the most popular majors at Howard College?
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (94 associate's graduates), Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (69 associate's graduates), Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services (68 certificate graduates) had the most graduates in the newest year, out of 53 programs.
Official public data, June 2026 release. Net price is for first-time, full-time students who get aid. Completion counts first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of the normal time. Debt and earnings are medians of students who received federal student aid, measured a few years after they left, in the dollars of the year measured; earnings count former students who work and are not enrolled, including those who did not finish.