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Most affordable community colleges in Texas

39 community colleges in Texas report net price data, ranging from $1,265 at the lowest to higher costs at more selective schools. The median net price across these is $6,451. Texas's community colleges cost about the same as the national average for the kind. The list below shows the most affordable options, ranked by net price.

Median net price in Texas

$6,451

National median for community colleges

$6,359

community colleges reporting in Texas

39

The most affordable community colleges in Texas, ranked by net price

1

Lamar State College-Orange

TX

Net price

$1,265

Receive grant aid

72%

2

Coastal Bend College

TX

Net price

$4,040

Receive grant aid

96%

3

Wharton County Junior College

TX

Net price

$4,095

Receive grant aid

57%

4

El Paso Community College

TX

Net price

$4,360

Receive grant aid

82%

5

Lamar State College-Port Arthur

TX

Net price

$4,386

Receive grant aid

79%

6

Palo Alto College

TX

Net price

$4,848

Receive grant aid

91%

7

Victoria College

TX

Net price

$4,999

Receive grant aid

60%

8

Texas Southmost College

TX

Net price

$5,085

Receive grant aid

99%

9

Net price

$5,121

Receive grant aid

61%

10

Southwest College for the Deaf

TX

Net price

$5,214

Receive grant aid

92%

11

St Philip's College

TX

Net price

$5,472

Receive grant aid

90%

12

North Central Texas College

TX

Net price

$5,639

Receive grant aid

58%

13

Northwest Vista College

TX

Net price

$5,655

Receive grant aid

74%

14

Northeast Lakeview College

TX

Net price

$5,676

Receive grant aid

74%

15

Vernon College

TX

Net price

$5,752

Receive grant aid

86%

16

McLennan Community College

TX

Net price

$5,785

Receive grant aid

100%

17

Net price

$6,079

Receive grant aid

69%

18

Central Texas College

TX

Net price

$6,128

Receive grant aid

78%

19

Tarrant County College District

TX

Net price

$6,350

Receive grant aid

59%

20

Panola College

TX

Net price

$6,451

Receive grant aid

86%

21

Hill College

TX

Net price

$6,651

Receive grant aid

67%

22

Ranger College

TX

Net price

$6,666

Receive grant aid

75%

23

South Plains College

TX

Net price

$6,790

Receive grant aid

78%

24

Southwest Texas Junior College

TX

Net price

$7,037

Receive grant aid

85%

25

Texarkana College

TX

Net price

$7,071

Receive grant aid

86%

What makes a school affordable here

In Texas, the most affordable community colleges share two things in common. First, low published net prices reflect both reasonable sticker prices and meaningful institutional or state aid. Second, a high share of students receive grant aid. At Lamar State College-Orange, the most affordable on this list, 72% of students receive grant aid. Net price reflects what a typical family actually pays, not the sticker price you see at first glance. A school with a $50,000 sticker price and a $10,000 net price is more affordable for most families than a school with a $20,000 sticker and a $19,000 net price.

Affordable colleges in Texas, other types

Affordable community colleges in other states

Find your personalized cost

National rankings use publicly available federal cost data. Plug in your actual aid offer and family situation for a Worth-It Score that reflects your specific picture.

Affordability rankings use publicly available federal higher-ed cost data. Net price reflects the average cost a family pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from total cost of attendance, for the 2022-23 reporting year. See full methodology →