Texas is one of the largest states in the US. It’s known for many things, including ranching and oil production. However, Texas' economy is comprised of much more. Not only is it the 10th largest economy in the world, it is also the United States' top exporter. Interestingly, Texas also ranks #2 for manufacturing in the nation. Unsurprisingly, manufacturing is the state's top industry, with professional & business services, real estate, mining & oil extraction, and wholesale trade rounding out the top five industries in the Lone Star State.
Where employment is concerned, trade, transportation, and utilities provide more Texans with work than any other sector. Professional and business services is close behind, with education and government in the #3 position. The state also employs many in leisure and hospitality, finance, and manufacturing. These sectors, and the state in general, all seem to be quite strong, with positive growth posted to the Bureau of Labor Statistics for much of 2021 and 2022 and overall non-farm employment gaining 5.9% in March '22.
Texas is a big state with large major universities but also smaller public and private colleges for those who need a more intimate campus environment. In fact, the state educates 1.6 million students, including both graduate and undergraduate enrollment. Of those, the division between full-time and part-time students is nearly even. When online and distance learners are tallied, around 47% attend college courses exclusively via online media. Texas then only has 27% taking a few online courses as part of their post-secondary Texas education. Even fewer students take no online or distance courses at all.
Texas' online students have a lot of schools to choose from. The state supports 116 total institutions that offer online-only degree programs, with 66 of those offering publicly subsidized tuition and the remaining 50 established as private schools. There are also 41 community colleges that offer online-only degree programs.
The popularity of online education may be attributed to the sheer size of Texas. Many students live in remote areas that make commuting or moving to a campus a logistical struggle. The online option could bring a University of Houston education to students in far-west Sierra Blanca, for instance. Online degree options can also run the gamut from humanities courses and STEM degrees to a career-focused curriculum which may appeal more to busy online students.
When it comes to the cost of education, Texas' public colleges and universities generally offer the best value in higher education. Since the average undergraduate tuition costs around $5,000 for a public institution and room and board costs exceed $16,000, Texas undergraduates can potentially reduce their overall costs by living in their hometown or areas that have lower cost of living. Students who prefer a private institution pay an average tuition of around $23,000. The most expensive private undergraduate degree in Texas is from the Gemini School of Visual Arts & Communication who charges over $80,000 while the Bakke Graduate University charges a mere $533.
Our School Rankings Methodology
Our educational researchers work hard to deliver the best, most accurate, and dependable rankings of Texas' online colleges and universities possible. To that end, they use solid data that institutions report to the government. Statistics, such as the retention rate, graduation rate, salary outcomes for graduates, and the student-to-faculty ratio lead their analysis.
First, researchers determine which schools offer online degrees, and then they start looking at the retention rates. This figure reflects how many first-time, full-time students return to campus for a second year. A high percentage returning indicates that the school has a lot to offer students in terms of curriculum, faculty attention, campus resources, and more. A high retention rate can also correlate with a high graduation rate. The graduation rate is also augmented by the transfer rate. Since transfer students tend to move on to other programs for their eventual degree, researchers assume that the students are well-prepared for the move.
Essentially, our research team seeks to offer students a basis for comparison. Students and their families can use our data and rankings as a counterweight to their personal, subjective desires. Ultimately, we feel that our rankings will help all students find the best program for them.
What are the Best Online Associate & Community College Programs in Texas?
Texan students have many reasons to look for an online community college program. The primary reason for an online associate degree program is the flexible scheduling. Students can continue to work or care for loved ones while completing a college degree. The online option also opens up a wide range of opportunities that may not be available in their local area. Even students in large urban centers, such as Dallas or Houston, may find that their ideal online associate degree program is in remote West Texas. Our rankings help students find the best online programs in Texas.
The best online community colleges in Texas are those that report strong statistics. They also offer students a variety of fully accredited online degree programs. Our rankings process seeks out programs that are accredited by CHEA approved agencies. We give a special nod to programs with programmatic accreditation from national agencies. We also look for online associate degree programs that are designed to facilitate a transition to a four-year, bachelor’s degree program, whether online or not.
Lamar Institute of Technology
College Type 2-year, Public
Student Population 4,417
Graduation Rate 32%
Net Price $4,993
Grads Salary $43,400
College of the Mainland
College Type 2-year, Public
Student Population 4,335
Graduation Rate 28%
Net Price $2,679
Grads Salary $38,300
Ranger College
College Type 2-year, Public
Student Population 2,200
Graduation Rate 32%
Net Price $4,623
Grads Salary $37,916
Amarillo College
College Type 2-year, Public
Student Population 9,079
Graduation Rate 32%
Net Price $6,215
Grads Salary $37,800
South Texas College
College Type 4-year, primarily associate's, Public
Student Population 28,233
Graduation Rate 24%
Net Price $1,630
Grads Salary $35,200
Clarendon College
College Type 2-year, Public
Student Population 1,334
Graduation Rate 43%
Net Price $11,220
Grads Salary $35,600
Midland College
College Type 4-year, primarily associate's, Public
Student Population 4,737
Graduation Rate 23%
Net Price $7,420
Grads Salary $42,500
Collin County Community College
College Type 4-year, primarily associate's, Public
The best online college degree programs in Texas are those that meet student needs. Our rankings methodology seeks to identify programs that have strong statistics that can apply to any student. Though our #1 online college degree program in Texas might not be perfect for everyone, every student can evaluate it based on the objective criteria we offer. They can then weigh our conclusions against their personal criteria. For instance, students might value a specific curricular focus and find that this consideration overrides a low retention rate. They might also prefer how one college implements a more rigid scheduling routine in their online classes where our #1 pick may offer 100% asynchronous learning in its online courses.
No matter what a student is looking for in an online college program, our objective rankings methods will be a terrific counterweight to their subjective criteria.
