Howard Community College
Columbia, MD · Public two-year · City: Midsize
8,540undergraduates
$10,654average net price per year
26%finish in 3 years
65%return for year two
Admissions
Open admission: everyone with a high school diploma or equivalent is admitted.
Majors
36 undergraduate programs that awarded a degree or certificate last year, grouped by field. Numbers are how many were awarded.
Liberal arts and sciences, general studies and humanities (2)
- General Studies Associate (465 awarded)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies Associate (170 awarded)
Health professions and related programs (9)
- Cardiovascular Technology/Technologist Certificate (under 1 year) (3 awarded), Associate (13 awarded)
- Community Health and Preventive Medicine Associate (13 awarded)
- Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Associate (14 awarded)
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography/Sonographer and Ultrasound Technician Associate (15 awarded)
- Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic) Certificate (1-2 years) (1 awarded), Associate (1 awarded)
- Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training Certificate (1-2 years) (16 awarded)
- Medical Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiation Therapist Associate (20 awarded)
- Physical Therapy Assistant Associate (6 awarded)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse Associate (160 awarded)
Business, management, marketing, and related support services (7)
- Accounting Certificate (1-2 years) (3 awarded)
- Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping Certificate (under 1 year) (8 awarded), Associate (12 awarded)
- Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science, General Certificate (under 1 year) (2 awarded), Associate (1 awarded)
- Business Administration and Management, General Certificate (under 1 year) (1 awarded)
- Business/Commerce, General Associate (51 awarded)
- Management Information Systems, General Associate (49 awarded)
- Management Science Certificate (under 1 year) (3 awarded)
Computer and information sciences and support services (3)
- Cloud Computing Certificate (under 1 year) (3 awarded)
- Computer and Information Sciences, General Associate (36 awarded)
- Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications Certificate (under 1 year) (4 awarded)
Education (3)
- Early Childhood Education and Teaching Associate (4 awarded)
- Education, General Associate (11 awarded)
- Elementary Education and Teaching Associate (6 awarded)
Engineering/engineering-related technologies/technicians (4)
- Biomedical Technology/Technician Certificate (1-2 years) (1 awarded), Associate (3 awarded)
- Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, General Certificate (under 1 year) (2 awarded), Associate (7 awarded)
- Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician Associate (3 awarded)
- Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician Certificate (under 1 year) (3 awarded)
Culinary, entertainment, and personal services (1)
- Restaurant, Culinary, and Catering Management/Manager Certificate (1-2 years) (9 awarded), Associate (9 awarded)
Engineering (3)
- Computer Engineering, General Associate (1 awarded)
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering Associate (1 awarded)
- Engineering, General Associate (13 awarded)
Family and consumer sciences/human sciences (1)
- Child Care and Support Services Management Certificate (1-2 years) (4 awarded), Associate (8 awarded)
Construction trades (1)
- Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection, Other Certificate (under 1 year) (2 awarded), Associate (8 awarded)
Communications technologies/technicians and support services (1)
- Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians, Other Certificate (under 1 year) (2 awarded), Associate (3 awarded)
Homeland security, law enforcement, firefighting and related protective services (1)
- Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism Certificate (under 1 year) (2 awarded)
Cost and aid
- Tuition and fees, in-district
- $4,080
- Tuition and fees, in-state
- $7,032
- Tuition and fees, out-of-state
- $8,976
- Books and supplies
- $2,808
- Total cost living at home
- $13,719
Published prices for 2023-24.
| Family income | Per year |
|---|---|
| $0-30,000 | $9,076 |
| $30,001-48,000 | $9,616 |
| $48,001-75,000 | $10,842 |
| $75,001-110,000 | $13,205 |
| Over $110,000 | $14,837 |
Net price is the full cost minus grants and scholarships, for full-time first-year students who got aid in 2022-23 and paid in-state tuition.
- First-year students who got any aid
- 61%
- Got grants or scholarships
- 59%
- Average grant or scholarship
- $4,749
- Got a grant from the college
- 34%
- Average grant from the college
- $1,664
- Undergraduates with a Pell grant
- 28%
- First-year students who borrowed
- 8%
- Average amount borrowed
- $5,202
Graduation
- Finished in 2 years
- 13%
- Finished in 3 years
- 26%
- Finished in 4 years
- 29%
- Transferred to another college
- 22%
- Came back for year two
- 65%
| Pell grant students | 25% |
|---|---|
| Subsidized loan, no Pell | 25% |
| Neither | 27% |
| Group | Students | Graduated |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 394 | 29% |
| Men | 357 | 23% |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 1 | 0% (small group) |
| Asian | 103 | 28% |
| Black | 198 | 20% |
| Hispanic | 108 | 21% |
| White | 209 | 32% |
| Two or more races | 57 | 35% |
| Race unknown | 28 | 18% |
| International | 47 | 34% |
| Started | Students | Earned a degree or certificate here | Enrolled at another college |
|---|---|---|---|
| Started here, full-time | 1,330 | 34% | 28% |
| Started here, part-time | 1,185 | 16% | 26% |
| Transferred in, full-time | 390 | 23% | 32% |
| Transferred in, part-time | 1,960 | 13% | 42% |
Graduation rates follow students who started full-time for the first time in fall 2020. Groups under 20 students are marked because a few students change the rate a lot.
Students
- Total students
- 8,540
- Undergraduates
- 8,540
- Full-time undergraduates
- 2,277
- Part-time undergraduates
- 6,263
- Students per faculty member
- 13 to 1
- Undergraduates age 25 and up
- 27%
- Undergraduates taking all classes online
- 23%
- Undergraduates registered with disability services
- 8%
| Women | 58% |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 0% |
| Asian | 14% |
| Black | 29% |
| Hispanic | 13% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0% |
| White | 24% |
| Two or more races | 6% |
| Race unknown | 7% |
| International | 6% |
Campus life
- Setting
- City: Midsize
- Address
- 10901 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia, MD, 21044-3197
- County
- Howard County
- Type
- Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional
- Highest degree
- Associates
- Academic calendar
- Semester
- Athletics
- NJCAA
- Offers
- Study abroad, Undergraduate research, Teacher certification, Weekend or evening classes, Online programs, Credit for AP exams, On-campus child care
- Open admission
- Yes
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2022-23 to 2024-25 surveys), and the College Scorecard.