When Houston-area students enroll in a local community college, they certainly don’t face a shortage of options.
Each of Houston’s largest colleges offer at least 100 degree and certificate programs for students to choose from. But several stand out as areas students gravitate toward the most.
Across the board, Houston-area students most often choose programs at their community colleges that fall under general studies, business and marketing, and health science subjects.
While several topic areas stand out as clear favorites, thousands of students complete awards in dozens of lesser-known subjects. For example, in the 2022-23 school year, over 650 Houston students completed culinary arts programs (a promising sign for Houston’s food scene in the years to come).
Use the table below to see the number of certificates and degrees students at Lone Star, San Jacinto and Houston Community colleges completed in the 2022-23 academic year.
Why so popular? Many students enroll in community colleges with the goal of transferring to a four-year university down the line. For them, a general studies or liberal arts and sciences degree is the most common avenue for completing basic credit requirements that apply at a university.
Business programs are also popular choices for hopeful transfer students. Plus, an associate degree or skill certificate in the subject can offer access to a wide range of entry-level jobs.
Targeted growth: The relatively high number of students studying health science subjects reflects recent efforts by community college leaders to address a shortage of healthcare workers by guiding more students into healthcare programs. For example, Lone Star College began offering a nursing bachelor’s degree in 2020.
Gaining ground: At San Jacinto College, several programs have gained popularity in recent years. Enrollment data from the fall 2024 semester shows that hundreds more students have chosen programs in natural science, child development, computer science, information technology and electrical technology when compared to fall 2019.
The outsized growth in SJC’s natural science program came when college leaders merged life science and physical science degrees into one natural sciences degree.
At Lone Star College, Associate of Science, computer science, cybersecurity, business administration and fine arts degrees have seen the most growth in recent years. In 2020, the college introduced a cybersecurity bachelor’s degree in addition to its associate degree.
Miranda Dunlap covers Houston’s community colleges in partnership with Open Campus. Despite roughly half of Houston’s higher-education students attending community colleges, there hasn’t been much news covering these systems or students — until now. Her reporting holds institutions accountable, highlights barriers faced by students and helps them navigate their opportunities. Reach Miranda at miranda@houstonlanding.org or on Twitter and Instagram.
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