Lamar State College-Port Arthur vs. Southwest Texas College

Comparable Facts

Compare Lamar State College Port Arthur in Port Arthur, 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 Lamar State College-Port Arthur based on total student enrollment (6,525 students vs. 4,680 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Lamar State College Port Arthur is located in Port Arthur, TX (Small City setting); Southwest Texas College is in Uvalde, TX (Rural Fringe setting).
• Lamar State College Port Arthur is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Southwest Texas College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Lamar State College Port Arthur 29:1; Southwest Texas College 28:1.

Lamar State College-Port Arthur vs. Southwest Texas College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lamar State College-Port Arthur 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 Lamar State College Port Arthur than Southwest Texas College ($2,543 vs. $6,429).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwest Texas College are 43.4% lower than at Lamar State College Port Arthur ($6,400 vs. $11,300).
• Southwest Texas College is 144.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Lamar State College-Port Arthur (about $2,556 more per year; $4,326.00 vs. $1,770.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 28.2% higher at Lamar State College-Port Arthur than at Southwest Texas College (about $1,776 more per year; $8,070.00 vs. $6,294.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southwest Texas College than at Lamar State College Port Arthur (84% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Lamar State College Port Arthur students is 13.6% larger than aid received by Southwest Texas College students ($8,151 vs. $7,177).

Lamar State College-Port Arthur vs. Southwest Texas College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Lamar State College-Port Arthur 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 Lamar State College-Port Arthur.

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

Lamar State College-Port Arthur vs. Southwest Texas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Lamar State College-Port Arthur 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 Lamar State College Port Arthur earn a median of about $1,200 more per year than Southwest Texas College graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,400 vs. $33,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Southwest Texas College graduates have a $4,500 lower median loan debt than Lamar State College-Port Arthur graduates ($5,500 vs. $10,000).
• Among borrowers, Southwest Texas College graduates have an estimated $47 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Lamar State College-Port Arthur graduates ($56 vs. $103).
• More Southwest Texas College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lamar State College-Port Arthur students, three years after graduation. (38% vs. 28%)

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.