US CollegesGetting in
Houston City College has an open admission policy: it does not turn applicants away on grades or test scores, though some courses can have their own requirements.
What it costs
| Tuition and fees, students from Texas | $2,040 |
| Tuition and fees, students from elsewhere | $5,460 |
| Books and supplies | $2,250 |
| Average full cost of a year (tuition, living, books), before aid | $12,286 |
| Average net price after grants and scholarships | $4,575 |
The net price is what students who got federal aid paid on average for a year after grants and scholarships were taken off (for a public college, students from inside the state). It is 68% below the median net price of colleges in Texas on this site ($14,222). International students are normally charged the out-of-state tuition and do not receive US federal aid.
Net price by family income
| Family income a year | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | $4,547 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $3,920 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $4,819 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $8,736 |
| Above $110,000 | $11,065 |
For students who received federal aid. A negative figure means grants were larger than the cost counted.
For an estimate that fits your own family, use the college's net price calculator.
Results
| Measure | This college | TX median | US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students who finish their degree (within one and a half times the normal length) | 17% | 41% | 49% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting | $42,369 | $51,026 | $53,132 |
| Median federal loan debt of those who finish | $14,250 | $18,657 | $19,994 |
Medians are the middle value of the colleges on this site in Texas and in the whole country. Completion and return rates count first-time, full-time students. Earnings and debt count students who received federal aid.
The students
39% of undergraduates receive a Pell Grant, the federal grant for students from lower-income families. 15% take a federal student loan. The undergraduate body is 59% women and 41% men. By undergraduate numbers it is number 6 of the 163 colleges in Texas on this site that report a size; the middle-sized one has 2,253.
Other colleges in Texas of a similar size
- Tarrant County College DistrictFort Worth, public
- Dallas CollegeDallas, public
- Lone Star College SystemThe Woodlands, public
- Austin Community College DistrictAustin, public
- Collin County Community College DistrictMcKinney, public
- El Paso Community CollegeEl Paso, public
Common questions
How much is tuition at Houston City College?
Published tuition and fees are $2,040 a year for students from Texas and $5,460 for others. Most students with aid pay less: see the net price.
What is the graduation rate of Houston City College?
17% of first-time, full-time students finish within one and a half times the normal length of the course.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, data released on 2 November 2026; checked in November 2026. Net price, debt and earnings describe students who received US federal aid. Costs change each year. This is official data for general information, not advice: confirm costs and admission rules on the college's own website and at collegescorecard.ed.gov.