Community CollegePublicHSI

Lone Star College System

The Woodlands, Texas·Public, 4-year or above·Southwest·lonestar.edu
6-yr Graduation
21%
—
Total enrollment
73,077
peer median 14,628
Avg net price
$11,252
+$6.4k vs Community College
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AboutOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeResearch funding

About

Lone Star College System (LSCS) is a public community college system serving the northern portions of the Greater Houston, Texas, area. As of fall 2025, it enrolls over 95,000 students. The headquarters of the Lone Star College System are located in The Woodlands and in unincorporated Montgomery County, Texas.

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
21%

Pell equity

0.0pp gap
Pell recipients
21%546 of 2557
Non-Pell (all)
21%794 of 3783
Subsidized loan, no Pell
2%4 of 183
No Federal Aid
22%790 of 3600

Pell and non-Pell students graduate at nearly identical rates, a notably small equity gap.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 107 Title IV programs, 14 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 93 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
107
Passing
14
13.1% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

107programs
  • Passing14 · 13.1%
  • No Data93 · 86.9%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
1
Watch
1
Safe
12
No data
93

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

14
Educational/Instructional Media Design
Associate Degree · Education
+5.1%
$34,994 vs $33,298
Accounting and Related Services
Associate Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+13.0%
$37,632 vs $33,298
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Associate Degree · Security And Protective Services
+32.3%
$44,057 vs $33,298
Business Administration Management and Operations
Associate Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+40.5%
$46,772 vs $33,298
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Associate Degree · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
+43.7%
$47,859 vs $33,298
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
Associate Degree · Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, And Related Sciences
+45.4%
$48,427 vs $33,298
Business/Commerce General
Associate Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+51.8%
$50,531 vs $33,298
Computer and Information Sciences General
Associate Degree · Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
+53.0%
$50,935 vs $33,298

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

15
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Associate Degree · Security And Protective Services
22%
$9,500 debt · $44,057 earn
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
Undergraduate Certificate · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
17%
$6,979 debt · $40,990 earn
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
Undergraduate Certificate · Personal And Culinary Services
17%
$3,500 debt · $20,853 earn
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Associate Degree · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
17%
$8,000 debt · $47,859 earn
Business/Commerce General
Associate Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
16%
$8,000 debt · $50,531 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Associate Degree · Education
16%
$8,424 debt · $53,830 earn
Business Administration Management and Operations
Undergraduate Certificate · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
16%
$6,464 debt · $41,600 earn
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
15%
$8,000 debt · $54,262 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Accredited since 1976Next review Dec 2027

Action history · 26

  1. Aug 2025Grant Substantive Change: Other
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
  2. Aug 2025Grant Substantive Change: Other
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
  3. Nov 2024Grant Substantive Change: Program
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
  4. Nov 2024Grant Substantive Change: Program
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
  5. Aug 2024Grant Substantive Change: Other
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$10,657
$30–48k$11,515
$48–75k$11,128
$75–110k$13,120
$110k+$14,572

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$11,252
+$6,445vs Community College median $4,807
Federal loans
7.3%
In-state tuition
$3,330
Out-of-state
$9,390

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 23,848 students received $104.9M in Pell grants, alongside $41.1M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
23,848
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$104.9M
$104,939,622 total
Direct Loans
$41.1M
11,719 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

19k
’20
19k
’21
19k
’22
21k
’23
24k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$17.6M
6,023 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$21.9M
5,614 loan awards
Parent PLUS$1.5M
82 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 6,594 borrowers who entered repayment, 59 (0.8%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
0.8%
-1.5pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
6,594
Defaulted
59
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
12.6%
2017
15.4%
2018
12.3%
2019
0.8%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Lone Star College System

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs72
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

10,668 total completions
01Liberal Arts
7,24567.9%
02Business
1,27512.0%
03Health Professions
8007.5%
04Computer Sciences
4594.3%
05Education
2992.8%
06Security/Protective
2242.1%
07Engineering Tech
1221.1%
08Mechanic
960.9%
09Visual/Performing Arts
860.8%
10Engineering
620.6%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
73,077
12-mo unduplicated
111,144
Undergraduate
111,144
Graduate
0

Gender split

Men
41%45,618
Women
59%65,526

Race / ethnicity composition

Hispanic
46.2%
White
21.4%
Black
14.9%
Asian
6.4%
Non-resident
4.5%
Two or more
3.5%
Unknown
2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.2%

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.08
6 offenses · 70,991 students

3-year trend

0.132 yrs ago0.061 yr ago0.08Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
19
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
13
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0

Criminal offenses by type

Fondling
2
Motor vehicle theft
2
Robbery
1
Statutory rape
1

By location

6total
  • On campus6

VAWA offenses

1
Domestic violence
1
Dating violence
4
Stalking
6 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons10
Drugs20
Liquor00

Residence-hall fires

No residence-hall fires reported.

Data quality: 3 reports were later determined unfounded across the reporting period and are excluded from the totals above.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
22.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
903

Lone Star College System vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Lone Star College System selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectLone Star College System
21%—73,077$11,252Community College
San Antonio College
——19,901$4,585Community College
Northwest Vista College
——20,060$4,525Community College
Northeast Lakeview College
——9,355$5,029Community College
University of North Texas Health Science Center
——2,332——
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center-El Paso
——997——
Peer group median21%—14,628$4,807

Institutions like Lone Star College System

Explore the federal data for institutions in Lone Star College System's comparison group.

IPEDS

Lone Star College System Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Institutional Effectiveness (IE)
Reports to Office of Institutional Assessment
Phone
281-655-3793
Address
5000 Research Forest Drive, The Woodlands, Texas 77381

At Lone Star College, assessment consists of both operational effectiveness and learning effectiveness. To assess the operational effectiveness, all LSC units are engaged in an annual cycle of planning and assessment that involves developing plans for improvement, implementing said plans, collecting data to gauge the extent to which the expected outcomes are achieved, and then using the assessment results for continuous improvement.

Visit IR office page
Team
1 member
  • Dr. Sherell Laster
    Director, Institutional Assessment

Research funding

External research funding from NSF, NIH, HERD, and federal spending sources.

NSF
USA Spending
$13,873,281
All sources
$13,873,281

Frequently asked questions about Lone Star College System

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Lone Star College System.

What is the graduation rate at Lone Star College System?

Lone Star College System reports a 6-year graduation rate of 21% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Lone Star College System?

Lone Star College System reports a total enrollment of 73,077 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Lone Star College System?

The average net price at Lone Star College System is $11,252 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

Where is Lone Star College System located?

Lone Star College System is located in The Woodlands, Texas 77381-4399.

Who runs Institutional Research at Lone Star College System?

Lone Star College System's IR work is done by the Institutional Effectiveness (IE), which reports to Office of Institutional Assessment.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
U.S. Department of Education
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
U.S. Department of Education
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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