Howard Community College
#5 Best Nursing Colleges in Maryland- Graduation Rate
- 25% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $49,020 B-
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $11,133 B
- 35% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 6,649
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 29.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $29.3 over 20 years. Ranked #5 in Best Nursing Colleges in Maryland.
Every $1 spent returns $29.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,261,225.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Earnings 20% above the national college median.
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Graduation of 25% — 56% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $29.3 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Howard Community College Matters
Howard Community College is a public community college in Columbia, MD and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 6,649
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT
Why students choose Howard Community College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $11,133 a year after grants and scholarships — 35% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $49,020 ten years after enrolling — 20% above the typical college, against $10,500 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.3% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 60% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.71 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Howard Community College is a great fit for students looking for a supportive environment to explore diverse fields like Humanities, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, and Education. With around 6,649 students enrolled, the college fosters a sense of community while offering a range of programs that cater to various interests and career paths. What stands out is the college's focus on affordability, making it accessible to many who might be balancing work and study.
After graduation, students can expect to earn an average of $49,020 within ten years. This figure is a solid indicator of the value of a degree from Howard Community College. While the graduation rate is around 25%, which reflects some of the challenges students face, those who complete their programs often find their earnings can support a stable life. The affordability of the college, highlighted by a net price of $11,133 after aid, allows many students to pursue their goals without an overwhelming financial burden.
When it comes to the practical aspects of college life, the average debt load for graduates is $10,500, which is relatively manageable. Students who thrive here often appreciate the balance between academic rigor and personal support, allowing them to succeed in their studies while preparing for the workforce. With a Pell Grant rate of 27%, the college serves a diverse student body, indicating a commitment to helping those from lower-income backgrounds achieve their educational aspirations.
Rankings
- #5 Best Nursing Colleges in Maryland
- #10 Best Colleges in Maryland
- #10 Best Online Colleges in Maryland
- #14 Best Business Colleges in Maryland
- #15 Most Affordable Colleges in Maryland
- #17 Best Computer Science Colleges in Maryland
- #17 Best Data Science Colleges in Maryland
- #40 Best Community Colleges for Nursing
Can I Get In?
How selective Howard Community College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Howard Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Howard Community College, located in Columbia, Maryland, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 25%.
- Retention Rate
- 69%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 27%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $8,959
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 13:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.81
- First-Gen Students
- 39%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Howard Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Howard Community College is $9,624, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $11,133. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,714 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,500 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $4,080
- Out-of-State
- $9,624
- Avg Net Price
- $11,133
- Median Debt
- $10,500
- Pell Grant Rate
- 27%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 7%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $9,714
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $9,924
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $12,198
- Family Income $110K+
- $15,881
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Howard Community College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Howard Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Howard Community College earn a median of $49,020, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $39,195
- 8 Years
- $43,783
- 10 Years
- $49,020
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.21x
- Earning > $25K
- 55%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (132)
- 13%
- 100% (132)
- 13%
- 100% (132)
- 13%
- 100% (132)
- 13%
How Howard Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Howard Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Howard Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $11,133/year ($44,532 total). Graduates earn $49,020 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,305,757 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,261,225 (29.3× your investment). The median debt is $10,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 25% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $44,532
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,305,757
- Net Return
- $1,261,225
- ROI Multiple
- 29.3×
- Cost Per Year
- $11,133
- Median Debt
- $10,500
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 25%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Howard Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Howard Community College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.29%, well above the typical college. About 7.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 16.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $99,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.29%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 16.5%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 7.8%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $134,642
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $147,475
Top Programs
The fields Howard Community College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Humanities 55%
- Health Professions 24% $72,651 early-career
- Business & Marketing 10%
- Computer Science & IT 3%
- Culinary & Personal Services 2%
- Education 1%
- Engineering 1%
- Construction Trades 1%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Howard Community College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Howard Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Howard Community College, located in Columbia, Maryland, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 25%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Howard Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Howard Community College is $9,624, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $11,133. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,714 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,500 in federal student loans.
Is Howard Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Howard Community College earn a median of $49,020, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Howard Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Howard Community College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.29%, well above the typical college. About 7.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 16.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $99,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Howard Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Howard Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.71, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Howard Community College.
- Normandale Community CollegeBloomington, MN · Close peer23% grad $50,207 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Montgomery County Community CollegeBlue Bell, PA · Close peer26% grad $46,108 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Quinsigamond Community CollegeWorcester, MA · Close peer21% grad $45,949 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Brookdale Community CollegeLincroft, NJ · Close peer29% grad $44,379 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Southern Maine Community CollegeSouth Portland, ME · Close peer24% grad $41,661 earnWhy: similar grad rate · similar size · similar net price
- County College of MorrisRandolph, NJ · Close peer35% grad $50,243 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Howard Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Howard Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.71, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note