Howard Community College

10901 Little Patuxent Pkwy
Columbia, MD 21044
Top Ranked (2024): View Rankings
  • Howard Community College creates an environment that inspires learning and the lifelong pursuit of personal and professional goals. The college provides open access and innovative learning systems to respond to the ever-changing needs and interests of a diverse and dynamic community. As a vital partner, HCC is a major force in the intellectual, cultural and economic life of its community.

School Highlights

Howard Community College serves 9,566 students (28% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 21:1 is higher than the state community college average of 10:1.
Minority enrollment is 63% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the state average of 56%.

Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 9,566 students
  • In-state tuition: $3,280
  • Out-state tuition: $3,988
  • Student:teacher ratio: 21:1
  • Minority enrollment: 63%
  • Source: Verified school update

Top Rankings

Howard Community College ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Maryland for:

School Overview

The teacher population of 446 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Howard Community College
(MD) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associates Colleges
Associates Colleges
Institution Level
At least 2 but less than 4 years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Public
Public
Total Faculty
446 staff
378 staff
This chart display total faculty of Howard Community College and community college average number of faculty in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Student Body

The student population of Howard Community College has stayed relatively flat over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 21:1 has decreased from 22:1 over five years.
The Howard Community College diversity score of 0.77 is more than the state average of 0.72. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Total Enrollment
9,566 students
3,420 students
This chart display the total enrollment of Howard Community College and community college average number of enrollment of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
21:1
10:1
This chart display the student staff ratio of Howard Community College and community college average student staff ratio of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Students
2,683 students
1,180 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time students enrollment of Howard Community College and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Part-Time Students
6,883 students
2,240 students
This chart display the total number of Part-time students enrollment of Howard Community College and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
This chart display the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of Howard Community College.
This chart display community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of MD.
# Enrollment Undergraduate
601 students
249 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
2,683 students
1,009 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of Howard Community College and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate  students enrollment of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
19 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
6,883 students
3,001 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
n/a
232 students
% Asian
12%
7%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in Howard Community College and the percentage of Asian community college students in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Hispanic
11%
11%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in Howard Community College and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Black
25%
26%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in Howard Community College and the percentage of Black community college students in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% White
37%
44%
This chart display the percentage of White students in Howard Community College and the percentage of White community college students in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Two or more races
5%
3%
This chart display the percentage of Two or more races students in Howard Community College and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Non Resident races
7%
6%
This chart display the percentage of Non Resident students in Howard Community College and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Unknown races
3%
3%
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Howard Community College.
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in MD.
Diversity Score
0.77
0.72
This chart display the diversity score of Howard Community College and the community college average diversity score of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
26%
27%
This chart display completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Howard Community College and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$41,800
$36,700
This chart display average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Howard Community College and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of MD by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

The public in-state tuition of $3,280 is less than the state average of $7,307. The in-state tuition has declined by 44% over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $3,988 is less than the state average of $9,316. The out-state tuition has declined by 42% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$3,280
$7,307
This chart display tuition fees for an in-state student of Howard Community College and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees
$3,988
$9,316
This chart display tuition fees for an out-of-state student of Howard Community College and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
64%
73%
This chart display the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in Howard Community College and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates
$10,500
$10,000
This chart display median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in Howard Community College and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts
$7,500
$5,500
This chart display median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Howard Community College and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Acceptance Rate
n/a
100%

Sports

Total Sports Offered
7 sports
Sports
Basketball, Cross Country, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Track and Field, Volleyball
Source: 2021 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) , School Administrators

School Notes

  • Situated beside a lake on a 120-acre wooded campus, Howard Community College (HCC) offers a wide range of academic pursuits and extracurricular activities for students of all ages and walks of life. About 5,000 students pursue studies at HCC in a variety of academic programs leading to transfer to four-year colleges or immediate employment upon graduation. An additional 12,000 students take courses for personal or professional development. Conveniently located in the heart of Howard County, the HCC campus features a Science and Technology Building, home to lasers, robots, computers, satellite links, and other tools for hightech learning. The Galleria, a spacious twostory windowed atrium adjacent to the building, provides a pleasing space for quiet study, informal gatherings, or special events. The physical education complex features an Olympic-sized pool, large gymnasium and weight room. Nine acres of athletic fields support archery, tennis, hardball, softball, soccer and track. Other facilities include the Library with more than 40,000 volumes of reference materials, the Nursing Building, and the Administration Building which contains offices, learning labs, and studios for painting, music, photography and sculpture. The Alfred J. Smith, Jr., Theatre for the performing arts provides the setting for an outstanding cultural arts program. The Theatre Outback is a "black box" performance space for experimental theatre and student productions. Howard Community College is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and by the Maryland State Department of Education to offer programs of learning and to award the associate in arts degree and certificate of proficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Howard Community College cost?
Howard Community College's tuition is approximately $3,280 for In-State students and $3,988 for Out-State students.
What sports does Howard Community College offer?
Howard Community College offers 7 interscholastic sports: Basketball, Cross Country, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Track and Field and Volleyball.
What is Howard Community College's ranking?
Howard Community College ranks among the top 20% of community college in Maryland for: Least expensive tuition, Diversity in US community colleges and Highest graduate earnings (10 years post graduation).

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Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 9,566 students
  • In-state tuition: $3,280
  • Out-state tuition: $3,988
  • Student:teacher ratio: 21:1
  • Minority enrollment: 63%
  • Source: Verified school update

Related School Videos

Did You Know?

For Maryland public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $7,307 per year for in-state students and $9,316 for out-of-state students. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

Maryland community colleges have a diversity score of 0.72, which is higher than the national average of 0.70. The most diverse community college in Maryland is Montgomery College. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.

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