2023 Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in Texas
There are so many programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school or bootcamp that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in Texas to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 148 schools in Texas to see which associate degree programs were the most popular for students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from each school on the list.
Featured schools near , edit
Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in Texas
Learn more about these popular schools below:
Our analysis found El Centro College to be the most popular school for students who want to pursue a associate degree in Texas. This large public school is located in Dallas, Texas, and it awarded 9,894 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
On average, associate degree students take out $18,961 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 65% were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at El Centro College. In 2019-2020 about 92% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
The excellent associate degree programs at Lone Star College System helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular schools in Texas. North Harris Montgomery is a public institution located in The Woodlands, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 8,422 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at North Harris Montgomery is $4,848. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $6,168. On average, associate degree students take out $15,481 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 66% of those degree recipients were women.
North Harris Montgomery does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. During the 2019-2020 year, about 72% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
The excellent associate degree programs at Tarrant County College District helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular schools in Texas. Located in Fort Worth, Texas, the large public school awarded 6,226 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,198 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 66% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Tarrant County College. In fact, around 97% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Houston Community College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in Texas list. Located in Houston, Texas, the large public school handed out 5,462 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
Students from Texas who attend Houston Community College full time pay an average of $4,344 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $5,460. Associate Degree recipients from Houston Community College accumulate an average of $23,597 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 67% of those degree recipients were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Houston Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 88% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend San Jacinto Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in Texas list. Pasadena, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 5,035 students in 2020-2021.
On average, associate degree students take out $13,960 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 66% were women.
San Jacinto College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. During the 2019-2020 year, about 95% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Austin Community College District did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #6 on the list. Austin Community College District is located in Austin, Texas and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4,578 associate degrees to qualified students.
Students from Texas who attend Austin Community College District full time pay an average of $8,580 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $10,590. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,220 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 61% were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Austin Community College District. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 99% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #7, Collin County Community College District did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their associate degree. McKinney, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 4,408 students in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $3,094 in tuition and fees if they attend Collin County Community College District full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $5,104. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,379 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 61% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Collin County Community College District. In fact, around 95% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Read full report on Collin County Community College District
South Texas College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in Texas ranking. South Texas College is located in McAllen, Texas and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3,920 associate degrees to qualified students.
Students from Texas who attend South Texas College full time pay an average of $4,530 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $7,920. On average, associate degree students take out $8,401 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 67% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since South Texas College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 94% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
El Paso Community College ranked #9 on this year’s Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in Texas list. Located in El Paso, Texas, the large public school handed out 3,506 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at El Paso Community College is $3,274. Out-of-state students pay an average of $5,314. Associate Degree recipients from El Paso Community College accumulate an average of $10,989 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 65% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since El Paso Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 97% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #10, San Antonio College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their associate degree. San Antonio College is a fairly large public school located in San Antonio, Texas that handed out 3,384 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from Texas who attend San Antonio College full time pay an average of $6,592 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $14,122. Associate Degree recipients from San Antonio College accumulate an average of $16,504 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 66% of those degree recipients were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at San Antonio College. In 2019-2020 about 53% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Blinn College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #11 on the list. Blinn College is a fairly large public school located in Brenham, Texas that handed out 2,980 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $5,760 in tuition and fees if they attend Blinn College full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $10,530. On average, associate degree students take out $18,672 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 57% of those degree recipients were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Blinn College does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 70% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Northwest Vista College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in Texas ranking. Located in San Antonio, Texas, the fairly large public school handed out 2,706 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
Students from Texas who attend Northwest Vista College full time pay an average of $6,592 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $14,122. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,060 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 62% were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Northwest Vista College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 42% took at least some of their classes online.
Central Texas College landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree programs. Located in Killeen, Texas, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,883 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,657 in student loans. Around 58% of those degree recipients were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Central Texas College does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 74% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #14, Tyler Junior College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their associate degree. Tyler Junior College is a public institution located in Tyler, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,878 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from Texas pay an average of $3,864 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Tyler Junior College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $4,440. Associate Degree recipients from Tyler Junior College accumulate an average of $17,044 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 68% were women.
Online courses are available at Tyler Junior College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 64% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #15, Texas State Technical College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their associate degree. Located in Waco, Texas, the fairly large public school awarded 1,697 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
On average, associate degree students take out $16,405 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 30% of those degree recipients were women.
TSTC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2019-2020 year, about 97% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Palo Alto College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #16 on the list. Palo Alto College is a fairly large public school situated in San Antonio, Texas. It awarded 1,438 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from Texas pay an average of $6,592 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Palo Alto College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $14,122. Associate Degree recipients from Palo Alto College accumulate an average of $15,496 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 68% were women.
Online courses are available at Palo Alto College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 58% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Del Mar College landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree programs. DMC is located in Corpus Christi, Texas and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,344 associate degrees to qualified students.
In-state students pay an average of $4,820 in tuition and fees if they attend DMC full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $5,930. Associate Degree recipients from DMC accumulate an average of $10,513 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 64% of those degree recipients were women.
DMC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 85% took at least some of their classes online.
McLennan Community College landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree programs. MCC is located in Waco, Texas and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,351 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at MCC is $4,200. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $5,910. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,859 in student loans. Around 73% of those degree recipients were women.
MCC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 57% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Amarillo College ranked #19 on this year’s Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in Texas list. Amarillo College is a medium-sized public school located in Amarillo, Texas that handed out 1,290 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from Texas who attend Amarillo College full time pay an average of $3,168 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $4,704. Associate Degree recipients from Amarillo College accumulate an average of $18,641 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 70% were women.
Amarillo College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. During the 2019-2020 year, about 57% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #20, Lee College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their associate degree. Located in Baytown, Texas, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,223 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Lee College is $3,882. Out-of-state students pay an average of $4,302. On average, associate degree students take out $15,284 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 49% were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Lee College. In 2019-2020 about 49% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
St Philip’s College landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree programs. This fairly large public school is located in San Antonio, Texas, and it awarded 1,216 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $6,592 in tuition and fees if they attend St Philip’s College full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $14,122. On average, associate degree students take out $16,795 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 62% were women.
One thing to take note of is that St Philip’s College does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 51% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Laredo College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #22 on the list. Laredo College is a medium-sized public school situated in Laredo, Texas. It awarded 1,128 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from Texas pay an average of $4,500 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Laredo College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $5,748. Associate Degree recipients from Laredo College accumulate an average of $7,314 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 70% were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Laredo College. In fact, around 78% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Odessa College ranked #23 on this year’s Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in Texas list. Odessa College is a medium-sized public school situated in Odessa, Texas. It awarded 1,095 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from Texas who attend Odessa College full time pay an average of $3,504 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $4,398. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,199 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 70% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Odessa College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 68% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Trinity Valley Community College ranked #24 on this year’s Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in Texas list. TVCC is located in Athens, Texas and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,035 associate degrees to qualified students.
In-state students pay an average of $4,920 in tuition and fees if they attend TVCC full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $5,970. Associate Degree recipients from TVCC accumulate an average of $13,409 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 68% of those degree recipients were women.
Online courses are available at TVCC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 55% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #25, North Central Texas College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their associate degree. North Central Texas College is a medium-sized public school located in Gainesville, Texas that handed out 981 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $4,560 in tuition and fees if they attend NCTC full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $7,080. On average, associate degree students take out $19,150 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 64% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at NCTC. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 89% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region
View Most Popular Associate Degree Schools Nationwide >
Honorable Mentions
These schools also performed well in our most popular schools ranking:
Rank | School | Location |
---|---|---|
26 | Navarro College | Corsicana, TX |
27 | South Plains College | Levelland, TX |
28 | Northeast Lakeview College | Universal City, TX |
29 | Southwest Texas Junior College | Uvalde, TX |
30 | The University of Texas at Brownsville | Brownsville, TX |
Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
Request Info | Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |