COM vs. Southwest Texas College

Comparable Facts

Compare College of the Mainland in Texas City, TX with Southwest Texas College in Uvalde, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southwest Texas College is larger than COM based on total student enrollment (6,525 students vs. 5,127 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of the Mainland is located in Texas City, TX (Small Suburban setting); Southwest Texas College is in Uvalde, TX (Rural Fringe setting).
• College of the Mainland is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Southwest Texas College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of the Mainland 18:1; Southwest Texas College 28:1.

COM vs. Southwest Texas College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, COM or Southwest Texas College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of the Mainland than Southwest Texas College ($3,252 vs. $6,429).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Mainland are 2.6% lower than at Southwest Texas College ($6,236 vs. $6,400).
• Southwest Texas College is 25.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than COM (about $876 more per year; $4,326.00 vs. $3,450.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 52% higher at Southwest Texas College than at College of the Mainland (about $2,154 more per year; $6,294.00 vs. $4,140.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southwest Texas College than at College of the Mainland (84% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwest Texas College students is 38.3% larger than aid received by College of the Mainland students ($7,177 vs. $5,191).

COM vs. Southwest Texas College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, COM or Southwest Texas College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Southwest Texas College and COM.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: COM - Open admission; Southwest Texas College - Open admission.

COM vs. Southwest Texas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for COM and Southwest Texas College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from College of the Mainland earn a median of about $2,400 more per year than Southwest Texas College graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,600 vs. $33,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Southwest Texas College graduates have a $1,724 lower median loan debt than COM graduates ($5,500 vs. $7,224).
• Among borrowers, Southwest Texas College graduates have an estimated $18 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than COM graduates ($56 vs. $74).
• More Southwest Texas College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former COM students, three years after graduation. (38% vs. 31%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.