Source: IPEDS, as of September 29, 2026. Cost is resident tuition plus required fees, 2023-24.
Associate Degrees in Texas
55
Meet the Ranking Threshold
49
Median Resident Tuition and Fees
$4,453
With a Fully Online Option
16
General Studies Associate Degrees in Texas
Texas ranks 49 general studies associate degrees, all public, and six of them sit in the top 25 of the national associate ranking. Six private programs fall below the threshold. Brazosport College in Lake Jackson has the top score at 88.5, second nationally, on an Associate of Arts (General) that awarded 258 degrees in the latest year with a 56% graduation rate at $3,286 in resident tuition and fees. Northeast Texas Community College in Mount Pleasant is fourth nationally at 84.5, matching the 56% graduation rate on 267 degrees at $4,282.
Lamar State College-Port Arthur ranks eighth at 81.8 and does it on price: its Associate of Arts in Academic Studies costs $1,770 a year, the lowest tuition in the state, with a 45% graduation rate on 147 degrees. Panola College in Carthage is 17th at 77.6 with an online option at $3,960, Texarkana College 19th with a 47% graduation rate, and Kilgore College 25th on 449 degrees. The giants of the list rank lower: Tarrant County College District awarded 4,283 degrees and scores 73.2 on a 34% graduation rate, Dallas College 5,426 at 68 and 32%, and Austin Community College District 2,263 at 36.7 and 20%.
Tuition and fees across the ranked 49 run from $1,770 at Lamar State-Port Arthur to $8,580 at Austin Community College District. Graduation rates run from 56% at Brazosport and Northeast Texas to 11% at Blinn College District in Brenham and Central Texas College in Killeen. Fourteen of the 49 can be finished online.
The 49 Best General Studies Associate Degrees in Texas
The best general studies associate degrees in Texas are ranked below by their national score, from the national associate degree ranking. The number on each card is the program's place in Texas. Each needed at least 10 graduates in the latest year to be ranked.
1
Brazosport College
Associate of Arts (General)
Texas
88.5- Public
- College graduation rate
- 56%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $3,286 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 258
About the Program
Breadth is the design, because the degree does not allow enough hours of concentration in a single discipline for you to declare a major. Inside the minimum of 60 semester hours you get at least 16 semester hours of academic electives, plus 2 semester hours of science labs that correspond to the core science courses you choose. So the electives are where you lean toward a field without formally claiming one.
The pathway comes with a recommended order. The college suggests you start in Foundations with a Learning Framework course, then move to Knowledge Building courses, which it recommends you complete before Preparing for Completion. Before the third set of courses you complete the Application for Graduation and meet your coach or advisor, so the paperwork and the transfer planning begin while you still have courses left.
Suggested courses of study are listed for a reason, which is so that you can receive the maximum number of transfer credit hours toward a planned baccalaureate major at other Texas institutions. So follow the suggested course of study that matches your planned major. Your coach or advisor helps you begin preparing applications for transfer before the final set of courses.
2
Northeast Texas Community College
Associate of Science in General Studies
Texas
84.5- Public
- College graduation rate
- 56%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,282 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 267
About the Program
The plan includes language and state-specific courses. You take Beginning Spanish I and Texas Government alongside Federal Government. For American history, one of your choices is Texas History, at 3 credit hours. One physical education course is required as well, so leave room for it when you map out your terms.
Electives take up 7 credit hours of the plan, and the college says they should be chosen in consultation with your faculty or academic advisor, so talk to one of them before you fill those hours. If you're still in high school, the recommended endorsement for this degree is Multidisciplinary Studies.
Think of the Associate of Science in General Studies as the first 2 years toward a 4-year university degree, because that's what the college says it's intended to be. The college adds that it can serve as the foundation for a variety of different majors, which means the 60 program hours are meant as the start of a longer degree.
3
Lamar State College-Port Arthur
Associate of Arts in Academic Studies
Texas
81.8- Public
- College graduation rate
- 45%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $1,770 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 147
About the Program
Undecided is the intended starting point. The catalog says the Academic Studies curriculum is built for students who plan to pursue a baccalaureate degree but haven't settled on a major, so the degree plan does two jobs at once. Its core covers the general education requirements of almost any bachelor's degree, and the electives beyond it are meant for sampling different disciplines until one of them turns into a major, which means the second year can be spent testing fields rather than marking time.
Forty-two of the 60 credit hours are the core curriculum, and the remaining 18 are electives. Because the core is a fixed set of categories, in effect since Fall 2021, you can expect two labs in the life and physical sciences, government and political science, and a component area option where you pick one course from speech or geography. That leaves the electives as the only part of the degree that's really yours to steer.
Transfer is where the core earns its size. Texas Education Code Chapter 61 requires every state-supported college and university to set a core curriculum, and this college's is 42 semester credit hours, so a student who completes all of it can transfer that block of courses to any other Texas state-supported institution as a unit. The catalog makes the same promise for the Academic Studies plan, whose core will transfer to any state-supported college or university in Texas, which is why finishing the whole core before you leave matters.
Advising is built into the elective choice. The catalog notes that you should consult with an advisor to pick the appropriate electives, and every one of the 18 elective hours must be an academic transfer course, which rules out filling the second year with anything that won't count at a university. The catalog also lays out a recommended two-year course of study, so you can see, term by term, what a two-year finish looks like before you register for the first one.
4
Panola College
Associate of Arts/Science - General Studies (Multidisciplinary Studies)
Texas
77.6- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 43%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $3,960 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 231
About the Program
Transfer is what this plan is for. The Associate of Arts/Science - General Studies (Multidisciplinary Studies) is a 60-credit suggested degree plan written for students who intend to move on to a four-year college or university, and the Core Curriculum credits are counted inside that total. So the core isn't an extra layer on top of the 60 credits. You finish the core and the degree in the same set of courses.
Several slots in the plan come as a choice between courses, which is where you get to shape the degree. Your second writing course can be Technical & Business Writing or Composition II, and the speech requirement is met by either Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication. Film Appreciation counts for Creative Arts. So two people on the same 60-credit plan can finish with different writing and speech courses.
Texas is written into the coursework. Texas Government is required, and Texas History is one of the options for the American History elective, so your government course is about the state itself and your history course can be too. Each Life & Physical Science slot in the core carries 4 credits, which is worth knowing when you add up the credits in a term.
Learning Framework is part of the plan. The step that matters for transfer is a conversation, though. If you plan to move to a four-year college or university, the catalog encourages you to meet with an academic advisor at the university you intend to transfer to, so you can check the either-or courses against the bachelor's you want before you choose.
5
Texarkana College
Associate of Arts Degree in General Studies
Texas
75.3- Public
- College graduation rate
- 47%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $3,916 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 96
About the Program
Undecided is an acceptable starting point here. The college says the degree is for students who are undecided in their majors, or who plan to transfer and find that these course choices meet their needs, so you don't need a chosen field to begin. The degree is 60 semester credit hours, listed as a 2-year associate degree, and the page describes it for people preparing to start or start over.
Scheduling is where you get choices. You can complete the degree online or in person, and the options cover full-time, part-time, day classes and night classes, which matters if you're fitting 60 semester credit hours around the rest of your week. If you want someone to ask about the degree, the listed contact is the Dean of Liberal & Performing Arts.
Cost is published as an approximate total for the whole degree. For a full-time in-district student, meaning Bowie County, the approximate total program cost is $6,010. That figure is tied to full-time study and to living in the district, so if you're part-time or outside Bowie County, ask the college what your total looks like.
6
Kilgore College
Texas
74.3- Public
- College graduation rate
- 39%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,056 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 449
About the Program
Based in Kilgore, Texas, Kilgore College is a public community college with 7,198 students on its rolls. It conferred 449 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 89% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. A 39% graduation rate puts the college at the 62nd percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Expect tuition and fees of $4,056 a year as a resident and $5,256 otherwise. On the number of degrees it awards it does best, reaching the 89th percentile.
7
Tarrant County College District
Texas
73.2- Public
- College graduation rate
- 34%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $3,402 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 4,283
About the Program
Some 43,928 students attend Tarrant County College District, a public community college in Fort Worth, Texas. During the most recent year on record it awarded 4,283 associate's degrees, a count at the 99th percentile for size. A 34% graduation rate puts the college at the 48th percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Tuition and fees are $3,402 a year for residents and $8,235 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 89% of programs at this level. Its strongest mark is the number of degrees it awards, at the 99th percentile.
8
Odessa College
General Studies, A.A.
Texas
72.2- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 37%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $3,912 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 424
About the Program
Electives carry the closing term of this plan. The General Studies, A.A. plan reaches 60 credit hours at Term 9, and Term 9 calls for 3 elective courses totaling at least 9 semester credit hours. So the end of the degree is where you choose your own courses, and you should confirm the current plan with the college before you build around it.
Core courses in the plan are THECB-approved Texas Common Core courses, so what you take comes from a state-approved set. Some slots give you room and some are fixed. The math slot names Contemporary Mathematics but allows another math course from the 020 Core Component Area, while Federal Government stands as the named course in the 070 Core Component Area.
Named courses show what the general education side of the degree looks like. Science appears as Biology for Non-Science Majors I, a 4-credit course, which means the plan doesn't assume you're heading for a science major. A World Cultures course fills the Language, Philosophy and Culture area, and Introduction to Physical Fitness & Sport adds 1 credit.
Term 1 opens with Learning Framework, a 3-credit course, so your opening term includes a course on learning itself alongside the subject courses. Near the end of the plan you're told to apply to graduate in the Wrangler Portal, which is a step the college leaves to you, so put it on your list before you start the final term.
9
Frank Phillips College
Associate of Arts (A.A.) General Degree
Texas
72.0- Public
- College graduation rate
- 45%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,612 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 116
About the Program
Transfer is what the Associate of Arts (A.A.) General Degree is built for. Its 60 credit hours are made of university-parallel or pre-professional courses, which are meant to transfer to four-year colleges and universities. For your approved electives, the college points you to the appropriate focus area for recommended electives.
Literature and writing get extra room in the A.A. On top of the literature course in the core requirements, you take an additional literature course, plus a humanities elective chosen from a set list that includes Composition II. The communication component must include Composition I, so reading and writing keep coming back as you move through the 60 credit hours.
Science in this degree means lab work, because the life and physical science component must be laboratory science courses. Some courses are fixed by law. The legislatively mandated coursework includes United States History I and Federal Government. In the component area option you choose one course from each of two options, and Learning Framework is listed among them.
After the degree, the college says its graduates generally transfer to area universities with junior class standing. But the checking is on you. You're responsible for identifying your transfer institution as early as possible and finding out its degree requirements for the freshman and sophomore years.
10
Clarendon College
Multidisciplinary Degree (General Studies/Liberal Arts)
Texas
68.4- Public
- College graduation rate
- 41%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,440 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 112
About the Program
Awarded as either an Associate in Arts or an Associate in Science, the Multidisciplinary Degree follows a suggested two-year plan of four semesters with the credit hours set out for every course. Both first-year semesters carry 16 semester credit hours, while the second year eases to 13 in the third semester and 15 in the fourth, so the heavier lifting comes early. Much of the plan draws on the Division of Liberal Arts, whose instructors are qualified in English, psychology, history, government, criminal justice, sociology, communications, education, fine arts, and developmental reading and writing.
Composition, United States history, college algebra, general psychology and public speaking fill the first semester, along with a 1-credit learning frameworks course. The second semester shifts the mix: biology for science majors begins, and introduction to theater, federal government, introduction to agricultural economics and the first half of western civilization join it. That spread is the point of a multidisciplinary plan, because by the end of the first year you've sampled a lab science, the social sciences, a fine art and economics without committing to any of them.
Sequences carry into the second year rather than starting over. The second semester of English composition, the second half of United States history and the second part of the biology sequence with its lab all land in the third semester alongside Texas government. The fourth semester closes with the second half of western civilization, world literature, technical writing, introduction to sociology, and a lifespan growth and development course that builds on first-year general psychology, so the plan reads as a set of paired courses, and the pairing is where the two years hang together.
Undecided and planning to transfer is exactly who the catalog is talking to when it strongly advises completing the Clarendon College Core Curriculum and following the General Course of Study until you declare a major. Anyone working toward a bachelor's degree is told to follow one of the Associate in Arts or Associate in Science suggested course of study transfer guides, but the catalog adds a second instruction: get the catalog of the senior college or university you're aiming at and use it to guide course selection, because that institution's requirements are the finish line.
11
Dallas College
Texas
68.0- Public
- College graduation rate
- 32%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,050 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 5,426
About the Program
Dallas College is a public college in Dallas, Texas that enrolls 69,749 students. The program's last federal report shows 5,426 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 99 in every 100 programs measured here. A 32% graduation rate puts the college at the 41st percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Residents pay $4,050 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $6,000. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 99th percentile.
12
Amarillo College
Texas
67.4- Public
- College graduation rate
- 32%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $3,168 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 342
About the Program
Some 9,262 students attend Amarillo College, a public community college in Amarillo, Texas. It conferred 342 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 85% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. Its college-wide graduation rate is 32%, the 41st percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Expect tuition and fees of $3,168 a year as a resident and $4,704 otherwise. Strongest of its measures is price, which lands at the 91st percentile.
13
Paris Junior College
Texas
66.9- Public
- College graduation rate
- 38%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,080 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 125
About the Program
Based in Paris, Texas, Paris Junior College is a public community college with 4,533 students on its rolls. During the most recent year on record it awarded 125 associate's degrees, a count at the 66th percentile for size. Its college-wide graduation rate is 38%, the 59th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Expect tuition and fees of $4,080 a year as a resident and $5,580 otherwise. Strongest of its measures is price, which lands at the 80th percentile.
14
North Central Texas College
General Studies, AA
Texas
66.4- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 35%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,680 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 651
About the Program
Four semesters map out the 60 credit hours, and the first puts a learning framework course beside Composition I and United States History I. The fourth semester holds 7 credit hours of electives that you pick around your transfer or pathway goals, so it pays to know where you're headed before then.
Transfer is the purpose, since the AA is designed to transfer into a bachelor's degree at a four-year public university in Texas. But the transfer university is the final authority on whether your courses apply to an intended major. Foreign language is where that bites. Some universities may require 12-14 hours of it for Bachelor of Arts majors, or proficiency proven through credit by exam such as CLEP or AP.
Midwestern State and Texas Woman's University each have a transfer guide linked from the pathway, which tells you where the degree is pointed. Use the guide for your university when you choose your fourth-semester elective, because the pathway asks you to pick that elective around transfer goals. And several core classes run in Summer and Mini-mesters, so you can adjust how many courses you carry each semester.
15
San Jacinto Community College
Texas
65.9- Public
- College graduation rate
- 30%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $3,456 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 1,318
About the Program
Pasadena, Texas is home to San Jacinto Community College, a public college of 31,812 students. It conferred 1,318 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 97% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. A 30% graduation rate puts the college at the 33rd percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Tuition and fees are $3,456 a year for residents and $5,352 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 89% of programs at this level. Its strongest mark is the number of degrees it awards, at the 97th percentile.
16
College of the Mainland
Texas
64.9- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 31%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $2,973 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 287
About the Program
College of the Mainland is a public college in Texas City, Texas that enrolls 5,127 students. During the most recent year on record it awarded 287 associate's degrees, a count at the 82nd percentile for size. Across the whole college, 31% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 37% of the institutions behind this list. Expect tuition and fees of $2,973 a year as a resident and $3,873 otherwise. Nothing in the degree requires attending in person, since it is offered fully online. What lifts it most is price, where it reaches the 92nd percentile.
17
Texas Southmost College
Associate of Arts-General Studies
Texas
63.9- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 30%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $3,748 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 671
About the Program
Online delivery is written into the name of one version of this degree, which the college calls the 100% online Associate of Arts-General Studies. Other versions carry a subject after the degree name, and those subjects are Humanities, Liberal Arts, Public Service and STEM. If you plan to study at a distance, the version labeled 100% online is the one to ask about, because the college attaches that label to it by name.
Core curriculum credit is the transfer detail the college spells out. A student who completes the 42-hour Core Curriculum at the college may transfer the block of courses to any other Texas public college or public university, according to the college. The word it uses is may, so confirm with the school you're aiming for how the block will apply. That statement covers public institutions in Texas.
18
McLennan Community College
Texas
63.6- Public
- College graduation rate
- 39%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,200 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 74
About the Program
Based in Waco, Texas, McLennan Community College is a public community college with 7,850 students on its rolls. The program's last federal report shows 74 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 49 in every 100 programs measured here. Of the students who start at McLennan Community College, 39% graduate, and that beats 62 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Residents pay $4,200 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $5,910. Its strongest mark is price, at the 79th percentile.
19
Hill College
Texas
63.2- Public
- College graduation rate
- 32%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $3,462 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 172
About the Program
Some 4,158 students attend Hill College, a public community college in Hillsboro, Texas. The program's last federal report shows 172 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 72 in every 100 programs measured here. Across the whole college, 32% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 41% of the institutions behind this list. Tuition and fees run $3,462 a year in state against $4,462 out of state, so on price it sits at the 88th percentile. Strongest of its measures is price, which lands at the 88th percentile.
20
Southwest Texas College
Texas
62.0- Public
- College graduation rate
- 31%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,326 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 532
About the Program
Southwest Texas College is a public community college in Uvalde, Texas that enrolls 6,525 students. During the most recent year on record it awarded 532 associate's degrees, a count at the 91st percentile for size. Across the whole college, 31% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 37% of the institutions behind this list. Residents pay $4,326 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $6,294. On the number of degrees it awards it does best, reaching the 91st percentile.
21
Galveston College
Texas
61.2- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 33%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $3,266 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 88
About the Program
Galveston College is a public college in Galveston, Texas that enrolls 2,405 students. Some 88 associate's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 54% of the programs ranked alongside it. Of the students who start at Galveston College, 33% graduate, and that beats 45 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Expect tuition and fees of $3,266 a year as a resident and $5,726 otherwise. Because the full degree is offered online, it is open to students well outside the region. What lifts it most is price, where it reaches the 90th percentile.
22
Laredo College
Texas
60.9- Public
- College graduation rate
- 30%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,500 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 1,073
About the Program
Based in Laredo, Texas, Laredo College is a public college with 11,029 students on its rolls. During the most recent year on record it awarded 1,073 associate's degrees, a count at the 97th percentile for size. Its college-wide graduation rate is 30%, the 33rd percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Tuition and fees are $4,500 a year for residents and $5,748 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 72% of programs at this level. On the number of degrees it awards it does best, reaching the 97th percentile.
23
Temple College
Texas
59.3- Public
- College graduation rate
- 32%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,800 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 301
About the Program
Based in Temple, Texas, Temple College is a public community college with 5,274 students on its rolls. It conferred 301 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 83% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. Its college-wide graduation rate is 32%, the 41st percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Tuition and fees are $4,800 a year for residents and $6,696 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 66% of programs at this level. On the number of degrees it awards it does best, reaching the 83rd percentile.
24
Tyler Junior College
Texas
57.8- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 27%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,056 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 552
About the Program
Based in Tyler, Texas, Tyler Junior College is a public college with 11,885 students on its rolls. Some 552 associate's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 91% of the programs ranked alongside it. Its college-wide graduation rate is 27%, the 24th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Tuition and fees run $4,056 a year in state against $4,656 out of state, so on price it sits at the 81st percentile. The degree can be finished entirely online, which suits anyone who cannot move or stop working. On the number of degrees it awards it does best, reaching the 91st percentile.
25
South Plains College
Texas
57.5- Public
- College graduation rate
- 29%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,453 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 485
About the Program
Based in Levelland, Texas, South Plains College is a public community college with 9,098 students on its rolls. Some 485 associate's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 90% of the programs ranked alongside it. Its college-wide graduation rate is 29%, the 29th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Expect tuition and fees of $4,453 a year as a resident and $4,837 otherwise. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 90th percentile.
26
Lamar Institute of Technology
Texas
57.3- Public
- College graduation rate
- 31%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $2,844 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 79
About the Program
Some 5,680 students attend Lamar Institute of Technology, a public community college in Beaumont, Texas. It conferred 79 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 51% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. Its college-wide graduation rate is 31%, the 37th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Expect tuition and fees of $2,844 a year as a resident and $12,924 otherwise. Strongest of its measures is price, which lands at the 93rd percentile.
27
Alvin Community College
Texas
56.8- Public
- College graduation rate
- 24%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $3,058 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 354
About the Program
Some 5,872 students attend Alvin Community College, a public college in Alvin, Texas. It conferred 354 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 86% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. Its college-wide graduation rate is 24%, the 17th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Tuition and fees run $3,058 a year in state against $4,330 out of state, so on price it sits at the 92nd percentile. What lifts it most is price, where it reaches the 92nd percentile.
28
Wharton County Junior College
Texas
56.5- Public
- College graduation rate
- 27%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,320 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 699
About the Program
Wharton, Texas is home to Wharton County Junior College, a public community college of 5,504 students. The program's last federal report shows 699 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 93 in every 100 programs measured here. Across the whole college, 27% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 24% of the institutions behind this list. Tuition and fees run $4,320 a year in state against $5,568 out of state, so on price it sits at the 75th percentile. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 93rd percentile.
29
Palo Alto College
Texas
55.7- Public
- College graduation rate
- 33%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $6,892 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 975
About the Program
Palo Alto College is a public college in San Antonio, Texas that enrolls 12,395 students. During the most recent year on record it awarded 975 associate's degrees, a count at the 96th percentile for size. Its college-wide graduation rate is 33%, the 45th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Tuition and fees are $6,892 a year for residents and $14,422 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 37% of programs at this level. Strongest of its measures is the number of degrees it awards, which lands at the 96th percentile.
30
Weatherford College
Texas
55.5- Public
- College graduation rate
- 35%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $7,110 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 474
About the Program
Weatherford, Texas is home to Weatherford College, a public college of 6,520 students. The program's last federal report shows 474 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 89 in every 100 programs measured here. Across the whole college, 35% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 51% of the institutions behind this list. Residents pay $7,110 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $9,630. Strongest of its measures is the number of degrees it awards, which lands at the 89th percentile.
31
Howard College
Texas
55.5- Public
- College graduation rate
- 35%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,626 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 67
About the Program
Howard College is a public community college in Big Spring, Texas that enrolls 4,101 students. It conferred 67 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 47% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. Its college-wide graduation rate is 35%, the 51st percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Residents pay $4,626 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $6,076. What lifts it most is price, where it reaches the 70th percentile.
32
Northwest Vista College
Texas
54.6- Public
- College graduation rate
- 32%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $6,892 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 1,953
About the Program
Based in San Antonio, Texas, Northwest Vista College is a public college with 20,060 students on its rolls. Some 1,953 associate's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 99% of the programs ranked alongside it. Across the whole college, 32% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 41% of the institutions behind this list. Tuition and fees run $6,892 a year in state against $14,422 out of state, so on price it sits at the 37th percentile. On the number of degrees it awards it does best, reaching the 99th percentile.
33
Collin County Community College District
Texas
54.4- Public
- College graduation rate
- 20%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $3,514 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 1,075
About the Program
Collin County Community College District is a public college in McKinney, Texas that enrolls 39,548 students. It conferred 1,075 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 97% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. Across the whole college, 20% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 9% of the institutions behind this list. Tuition and fees run $3,514 a year in state against $5,614 out of state, so on price it sits at the 88th percentile. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 97th percentile.
34
Northeast Lakeview College
Texas
53.7- Public
- College graduation rate
- 32%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $6,892 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 942
About the Program
Based in Universal City, Texas, Northeast Lakeview College is a public community college with 9,355 students on its rolls. Some 942 associate's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 96% of the programs ranked alongside it. A 32% graduation rate puts the college at the 41st percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Residents pay $6,892 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $14,422. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 96th percentile.
35
Angelina College
Texas
52.8- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 29%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,740 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 219
About the Program
Some 3,890 students attend Angelina College, a public community college in Lufkin, Texas. The program's last federal report shows 219 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 77 in every 100 programs measured here. Of the students who start at Angelina College, 29% graduate, and that beats 29 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Tuition and fees run $4,740 a year in state against $6,150 out of state, so on price it sits at the 68th percentile. Nothing in the degree requires attending in person, since it is offered fully online. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 77th percentile.
36
South Texas College
Texas
51.8- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 27%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,220 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 1,107
About the Program
Some 27,431 students attend South Texas College, a public college in McAllen, Texas. It conferred 1,107 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 97% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. A 27% graduation rate puts the college at the 24th percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Tuition and fees are $5,220 a year for residents and $7,500 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 56% of programs at this level. Because the full degree is offered online, it is open to students well outside the region. Its strongest mark is the number of degrees it awards, at the 97th percentile.
37
El Paso Community College
Texas
51.3- Public
- College graduation rate
- 24%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $3,274 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 126
About the Program
El Paso Community College is a public community college in El Paso, Texas that enrolls 25,567 students. The program's last federal report shows 126 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 66 in every 100 programs measured here. Across the whole college, 24% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 17% of the institutions behind this list. Expect tuition and fees of $3,274 a year as a resident and $5,314 otherwise. Strongest of its measures is price, which lands at the 90th percentile.
38
Cisco College
Texas
51.0- Public
- College graduation rate
- 30%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,760 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 322
About the Program
Cisco College is a public community college in Cisco, Texas that enrolls 3,160 students. During the most recent year on record it awarded 322 associate's degrees, a count at the 84th percentile for size. Across the whole college, 30% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 33% of the institutions behind this list. Residents and nonresidents are both charged $5,760 a year in tuition and fees. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 84th percentile.
39
Houston Community College
Texas
49.1- Public
- College graduation rate
- 17%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,344 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 1,623
About the Program
Houston Community College is a public college in Houston, Texas that enrolls 53,253 students. During the most recent year on record it awarded 1,623 associate's degrees, a count at the 98th percentile for size. Its college-wide graduation rate is 17%, the 4th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Tuition and fees run $4,344 a year in state against $5,460 out of state, so on price it sits at the 75th percentile. Strongest of its measures is the number of degrees it awards, which lands at the 98th percentile.
40
Central Texas College
Texas
48.7- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 11%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $3,900 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 600
About the Program
Based in Killeen, Texas, Central Texas College is a public community college with 8,373 students on its rolls. During the most recent year on record it awarded 600 associate's degrees, a count at the 91st percentile for size. Across the whole college, 11% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 1% of the institutions behind this list. Tuition and fees are $3,900 a year for residents and $7,500 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 84% of programs at this level. Nothing in the degree requires attending in person, since it is offered fully online. Its strongest mark is the number of degrees it awards, at the 91st percentile.
41
Coastal Bend College
Texas
48.7- Public
- College graduation rate
- 25%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,793 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 252
About the Program
Some 4,259 students attend Coastal Bend College, a public community college in Beeville, Texas. It conferred 252 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 80% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. A 25% graduation rate puts the college at the 19th percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Residents pay $4,793 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $5,243. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 80th percentile.
42
Navarro College
Texas
48.1- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 23%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,718 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 325
About the Program
Corsicana, Texas is home to Navarro College, a public college of 6,557 students. The program's last federal report shows 325 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 84 in every 100 programs measured here. A 23% graduation rate puts the college at the 15th percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Tuition and fees are $4,718 a year for residents and $6,578 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 68% of programs at this level. Nothing in the degree requires attending in person, since it is offered fully online. Strongest of its measures is the number of degrees it awards, which lands at the 84th percentile.
43
Midland College
Texas
47.3- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 23%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $4,770 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 295
About the Program
Midland College is a public college in Midland, Texas that enrolls 5,690 students. Some 295 associate's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 83% of the programs ranked alongside it. A 23% graduation rate puts the college at the 15th percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Tuition and fees run $4,770 a year in state against $6,030 out of state, so on price it sits at the 67th percentile. Because the full degree is offered online, it is open to students well outside the region. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 83rd percentile.
44
St Philip's College
Texas
45.5- Public
- HBCU
- College graduation rate
- 28%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $6,892 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 490
About the Program
Some 17,299 students attend St Philip's College, a historically Black public college in San Antonio, Texas. It conferred 490 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 90% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. Across the whole college, 28% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 26% of the institutions behind this list. Tuition and fees are $6,892 a year for residents and $14,422 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 37% of programs at this level. Its strongest mark is the number of degrees it awards, at the 90th percentile.
45
San Antonio College
Texas
45.2- Public
- College graduation rate
- 26%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $6,892 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 1,681
About the Program
Based in San Antonio, Texas, San Antonio College is a public college with 19,901 students on its rolls. Some 1,681 associate's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 99% of the programs ranked alongside it. Its college-wide graduation rate is 26%, the 21st percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Residents pay $6,892 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $14,422. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 99th percentile.
46
Vernon College
Texas
40.7- Public
- College graduation rate
- 21%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,040 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 166
About the Program
Vernon, Texas is home to Vernon College, a public community college of 2,299 students. Some 166 associate's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 72% of the programs ranked alongside it. A 21% graduation rate puts the college at the 11th percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Residents pay $5,040 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $6,480. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 72nd percentile.
47
Blinn College District
Texas
37.3- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 11%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $6,350 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 807
About the Program
Some 18,095 students attend Blinn College District, a public community college in Brenham, Texas. It conferred 807 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 95% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. Its college-wide graduation rate is 11%, the 1st percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Tuition and fees run $6,350 a year in state against $11,030 out of state, so on price it sits at the 44th percentile. The degree can be finished entirely online, which suits anyone who cannot move or stop working. Strongest of its measures is the number of degrees it awards, which lands at the 95th percentile.
48
Austin Community College District
Texas
36.7- Public
- College graduation rate
- 20%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $8,580 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 2,263
About the Program
Based in Austin, Texas, Austin Community College District is a public college with 39,727 students on its rolls. During the most recent year on record it awarded 2,263 associate's degrees, a count at the 99th percentile for size. Of the students who start at Austin Community College District, 20% graduate, and that beats 9 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Tuition and fees run $8,580 a year in state against $10,590 out of state, so on price it sits at the 27th percentile. On the number of degrees it awards it does best, reaching the 99th percentile.
49
Ranger College
Texas
35.6- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 19%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $6,325 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 214
About the Program
Some 2,522 students attend Ranger College, a public community college in Ranger, Texas. The program's last federal report shows 214 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 77 in every 100 programs measured here. Its college-wide graduation rate is 19%, the 7th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Tuition and fees are $6,325 a year for residents and $8,775 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 44% of programs at this level. Nothing in the degree requires attending in person, since it is offered fully online. Strongest of its measures is the number of degrees it awards, which lands at the 77th percentile.
Other General Studies Associate Degrees in Texas
The other general studies associate degrees in Texas awarded fewer than 10 degrees in the latest year or did not report a figure the ranking uses, so they are listed here without a score. That says something about size and nothing on its own about quality.
| College | Degrees Awarded | Graduation Rate | Tuition and Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| McMurry University, Abilene | 9 | 44% | $31,162 |
| Texas College, Tyler | 8 | 14% | $10,108 |
| University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio | 6 | 51% | $35,660 |
| Nelson University, Waxahachie | 3 | 42% | $18,610 |
| Southwestern Adventist University, Keene | 1 | 52% | $24,588 |
| Criswell College, Dallas | 1 | 50% | $14,310 |
Source: IPEDS, as of September 29, 2026. Graduation rate is the college's, for first-time, full-time students.
How Much Does a General Studies Associate Degree Cost in Texas?
A general studies associate degree in Texas costs a median of $4,453 a year in resident tuition and required fees for 2023-24 across the 55 programs, and the 49 ranked public colleges run from $1,770 at Lamar State College-Port Arthur to $8,580 at Austin Community College District. The low end is crowded: Lamar Institute of Technology at $2,844, College of the Mainland at $2,973, Alvin at $3,058, Amarillo at $3,168 and Brazosport at $3,286. The high end is the five San Antonio-area colleges at $6,892 and Weatherford at $7,110. The six private programs below the threshold charge from $10,108 at Texas College in Tyler to $35,660 at the University of the Incarnate Word.
The state grant built for this level is the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant, whose purpose is to provide financial aid to eligible students attending Texas two-year public institutions of higher education. Under the 2024-25 guidelines an initial award requires you to be enrolled at least half time as an entering undergraduate student in an associate degree or certificate program and to be enrolled in the first 45 attempted semester credit hours. So apply in your first term, not after two years of part-time credits.
Will a General Studies Associate Degree Transfer in Texas?
A general studies associate degree transfers in Texas under state law rather than college-by-college agreements, and the law protects the degree's general education core whether or not you finish it. Texas Education Code Section 61.822 requires that each institution of higher education shall adopt a core curriculum of no less than 42 semester credit hours, and once you've completed it, that block of courses may be transferred to any other institution of higher education and must be substituted for the receiving institution's core curriculum. Leave Brazosport with the core done and no public university in Texas can make you repeat it.
Leave early and you still keep each piece. A student who transfers without completing the core shall receive academic credit from the receiving institution for each of the courses that the student has successfully completed in the core curriculum. Course matching runs on the board-approved common course numbering system for lower-division courses.
Texas also writes reverse transfer into Section 61.833. A university student who earned at least 30 credit hours for course work successfully completed at the lower-division institution of higher education and has earned a cumulative total of at least 66 credit hours can have the record sent back, and the community college, if it determines the student has earned the credits required to receive an associate degree, may award it.
What Do Jobs With a General Studies Associate Degree Pay in Texas?
Jobs open to a general studies associate degree in Texas pay the state medians below, from the May 2025 federal wage survey, with the national median beside each for comparison. Each row links to the salary guide for that job.
How to Choose a General Studies Associate Degree Program in Texas
Choosing a general studies associate degree program in Texas means looking past the size of the college to who finishes, because the biggest programs sit in the middle and bottom of the list. The colleges graduating 41% or more, Brazosport, Northeast Texas, Texarkana, Lamar State-Port Arthur, Frank Phillips, Panola and Clarendon, each award between 96 and 267 degrees a year, while the ten colleges awarding more than 1,000 degrees graduate between 17% and 34%. Price rewards small colleges too: Lamar State-Port Arthur at $1,770 is in the national top ten, while the five San Antonio-area colleges charge $6,892, Weatherford $7,110 and Austin $8,580.
Of the 14 online programs, the five highest-scoring are Panola, Odessa, North Central Texas, College of the Mainland and Texas Southmost. Before continuing to a bachelor's, ask whether the degree completes the full 42-hour core curriculum, since a completed core must be substituted for the receiving institution's core curriculum at any Texas public university, and whether a Field of Study Curriculum exists for your major. And note the award: Brazosport's is an Associate of Arts (General), Northeast Texas's an Associate of Science in General Studies, Lamar State-Port Arthur's an Associate of Arts in Academic Studies.
If you plan to finish a bachelor's in the state, the general studies bachelor's degrees in Texas have their own page.