College Grad Analyst
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Texas · Public · Predominantly associate's

Houston Community College

Houston, Texas. 37,970 undergraduate students. 121 programs in the federal Field-of-Study dataset.

UNITID 225423 · OPEID 010633 · IPEDS HDVINTAGE · COLLEGE SCORECARD · 2025-05 · HISTORY 1996–2024
ANOMALY ENGINE · NOTABLE SIGNALS

What the data flags at Houston Community College

Short-arc shifts (recent 3-year window), peer outliers, earnings trend breaks, completion drops, enrollment cliffs, and debt-to-earnings warnings — surfaced deterministically from the federal record. Multi-decade shifts are reported separately in the Long Arc section, since 25-year tuition drift isn't really an anomaly.

LONG-ARC SHIFT · TRENDING WORSE+13%

Median federal debt at exit

Median federal debt at exit at Houston Community College rose 13% between 2017 and 2020 ($12.3k → $13.9k).

SECTION 01 · OUTCOMES SNAPSHOT

The numbers, vs. Texas

Each tile compares this institution to the Texas median for the same metric. Sub-line shows the comparison value, not an interpretation. Sparklines trace the federally available history.

MEDIAN EARNINGS · 10Y
$39,254+25% · 6→10y
Texas median $39,639
MEDIAN EARNINGS · 6Y
$31,319
Treasury earnings · 6y post-entry
COMPLETION · 150%
17.0%+437% · '97→'24
Texas median 51.8%
MEDIAN FEDERAL DEBT
$8,752+430% · '97→'20
At program completion
UNDERGRAD ENROLLMENT
37,970+27% · '96→'24
latest IPEDS
RETENTION
—+10% · '04→'22
first-time, full-time
ADMISSION RATE
—
latest cohort
IN-STATE TUITION
$2,040+143% · '00→'24
out-of-state $5,460
SECTION 02 · EARNINGS HORIZONS

How earnings spread, 4 to 10 years after entry

Treasury tax-record earnings for federally aided students who first enrolled at this institution. Each point is a horizon from the most-recent vintage. Single median per horizon (no p25/p75 publishing).

ALL FEDERALLY AIDED STUDENTS · TAX-RECORD EARNINGSVINTAGE 2025-05
Earnings widen with time post-entry. Selection: federal-aid recipients only — not all graduates.Methodology →
SECTION 03 · DEBT-TO-EARNINGS

What loans cost relative to earnings

Annual debt service as a share of median earnings 10 years after entry, computed under federal Direct loan terms (10-year fixed at 6%). The 8% line is the gainful-employment threshold from federal regulation; above 12% has historically been considered “failing” under prior rule cycles.

Institution-wide

3.0%
0%8% · GE20%+

Median federal debt $8,752 amortized over 10 years vs. median earnings $39,254 (10y after entry).

SECTION 04 · LONG ARC

Ten-plus year arc

Federally available history. Coverage varies by metric — IPEDS publishes some series only after 2009 and others only before.

UNDERGRAD · 1996–202440,503
58,0849,05619962024
Undergraduate enrollment.IPEDS EF
COMPLETION 150% · 1997–202416.5%
17%3%19972024
150%-time completion rate.IPEDS GR
MEDIAN DEBT · 1997–2020$13,921
$14,250$2,17419972020
Median federal student debt at exit.SCORECARD
COMPLETION · 150% · 1997→2024+269%

Houston Community College · completion · 150% rose

3.1% → 16.5%

UNDERGRAD ENROLLMENT · 1996→2024+27%

Houston Community College · undergrad enrollment rose

31,787 → 40,503

IN-STATE TUITION · 2000→2024+120%

Houston Community College · in-state tuition rose

$840 → $2,040

OUT-OF-STATE TUITION · 2000→2024+109%

Houston Community College · out-of-state tuition rose

$2,616 → $5,460

MEDIAN DEBT · 1997→2020+430%

Houston Community College · median debt rose

$2,625 → $13,921

PELL SHARE · 2008→2024+57%

Houston Community College · pell share rose

22.7% → 35.7%

SECTION 05 · PROGRAMS

Ranked by 5-year earnings

Each row is one (CIP × credential) program reported by the institution in College Scorecard's Field-of-Study data. Cohort floor is 30 students; below this, federal data is suppressed.

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.CIP 5138 · Associate's Degree$101,897154 gradsAllied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.CIP 5109 · Associate's Degree$81,93968 gradsAllied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.CIP 5109 · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$76,949103 gradsEngineering Science.CIP 1413 · Associate's Degree$73,244109 gradsDental Support Services and Allied Professions.CIP 5106 · Associate's Degree$64,8750 gradsPhysical Science Technologies/Technicians.CIP 4103 · Associate's Degree$63,21859 gradsPractical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.CIP 5139 · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$63,03837 gradsCriminal Justice and Corrections.CIP 4301 · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$56,98766 gradsTeacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods.CIP 1312 · Associate's Degree$56,14593 gradsAllied Health and Medical Assisting Services.CIP 5108 · Associate's Degree$56,06747 gradsDrafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians.CIP 1513 · Associate's Degree$55,01632 gradsFire Protection.CIP 4302 · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$51,61124 gradsBusiness Administration, Management and Operations.CIP 5202 · Associate's Degree$46,026902 gradsLiberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities.CIP 2401 · Associate's Degree$45,8402,293 gradsMining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians.CIP 1509 · Associate's Degree$44,84213 gradsLegal Support Services.CIP 2203 · Associate's Degree$43,91042 gradsBusiness Operations Support and Assistant Services.CIP 5204 · Associate's Degree$42,96532 gradsAudiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians.CIP 1002 · Associate's Degree$42,87123 gradsAccounting and Related Services.CIP 5203 · Associate's Degree$40,27447 gradsGraphic Communications.CIP 1003 · Associate's Degree$39,21329 gradsPrecision Metal Working.CIP 4805 · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$39,00089 gradsAllied Health and Medical Assisting Services.CIP 5108 · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$37,840103 gradsBusiness Operations Support and Assistant Services.CIP 5204 · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$35,24640 gradsBusiness Administration, Management and Operations.CIP 5202 · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$35,12587 grads
Showing top 24 of 28 ranked programs.121 TOTAL PROGRAMS
SECTION 06 · BY CIP FAMILY

28 programs with earnings, grouped

Programs are grouped by 2-digit CIP family. Programs without reported earnings are hidden to keep the list focused.

COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES · CIP 10

Graphic Communications.Associate's Degree$39,21329 gradsAudiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians.Associate's Degree$42,87123 grads

PERSONAL & CULINARY SERVICES · CIP 12

Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services.Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$16,80277 gradsCosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services.Associate's Degree$21,81053 gradsCulinary Arts and Related Services.Associate's Degree$22,50945 grads

EDUCATION · CIP 13

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods.Associate's Degree$56,14593 grads

ENGINEERING · CIP 14

Engineering Science.Associate's Degree$73,244109 grads

ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIES · CIP 15

Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians.Associate's Degree$55,01632 gradsMining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians.Associate's Degree$44,84213 grads

LEGAL PROFESSIONS · CIP 22

Legal Support Services.Associate's Degree$43,91042 grads

LIBERAL ARTS & GENERAL STUDIES · CIP 24

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities.Associate's Degree$45,8402,293 grads

SCIENCE TECHNOLOGIES · CIP 41

Physical Science Technologies/Technicians.Associate's Degree$63,21859 grads

HOMELAND SECURITY & PROTECTIVE SERVICES · CIP 43

Criminal Justice and Corrections.Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$56,98766 gradsFire Protection.Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$51,61124 grads

PRECISION PRODUCTION · CIP 48

Precision Metal Working.Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$39,00089 grads

HEALTH PROFESSIONS · CIP 51

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.Associate's Degree$101,897154 gradsHealth Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General.Associate's Degree$34,236117 gradsAllied Health and Medical Assisting Services.Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$37,840103 gradsAllied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$76,949103 gradsAllied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.Associate's Degree$81,93968 gradsAllied Health and Medical Assisting Services.Associate's Degree$56,06747 gradsPractical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$63,03837 gradsDental Support Services and Allied Professions.Associate's Degree$64,8750 grads

BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT & MARKETING · CIP 52

Business Administration, Management and Operations.Associate's Degree$46,026902 gradsBusiness Administration, Management and Operations.Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$35,12587 gradsAccounting and Related Services.Associate's Degree$40,27447 gradsBusiness Operations Support and Assistant Services.Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$35,24640 gradsBusiness Operations Support and Assistant Services.Associate's Degree$42,96532 grads
FINANCIAL OUTCOME · ILLUSTRATION

Estimate the financial outcome at Houston Community College

Pick a program. Cost from Scorecard net price by family income; earnings from Treasury 5-year-post-completion median, projected forward with a Mincer age-earnings curve. The selection-bias toggle applies the Dale-Krueger shrinkage. Outcomes illustration, not a forecast — see methodology.

Shrinks the earnings premium toward the matched-applicant mean. STEM <15%, business ~40%, arts & education ~60%.

NET PRESENT VALUE
$202,266
Over 40 years, discounted 5.0%
BREAKEVEN
Year 9
First year cumulative discounted earnings cross zero
graduationbreakeven · year 9year 0year 39
Cost per year
$8,980
HS-only baseline · TX
$37,300
Years to complete
2
CIP family
24

Outcomes illustration · not a forecast. Projects observed Scorecard earnings forward with a Mincer age-earnings curve under your assumptions. See methodology for the math.

SECTION 07 · SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS

Same sector and degree mix in Texas

Picked by Carnegie sector × predominant credential level. These are not rankings — just nearest-neighbour surfaces for comparison.

FORT WORTH$42.7k

Tarrant County College District

Public · Predominantly associate's · 26% completion
DALLAS$41.7k

Dallas College

Public · Predominantly associate's · 36% completion
AUSTIN$43.2k

Austin Community College District

Public · Predominantly associate's · 18% completion
EL PASO$35.2k

El Paso Community College

Public · Predominantly associate's · 22% completion
SAN ANTONIO$39.7k

San Antonio College

Public · Predominantly associate's · 22% completion
CAUSAL DISCIPLINE

“Houston Community College graduates earn $X” — not “Houston Community College makes you earn $X”

Median earnings describe what cohorts earned. They do not describe what attending Houston Community College caused. Selection effects (who admits, who enrolls, who completes) are real. We publish federal data with strict descriptive phrasing — and link the methodology where you can read about the limitations directly.

Methodology →