The best online community colleges in Texas provide students with flexible and very affordable options for earning the education they need. It’s no secret that most well-paying entry-level jobs require bachelor’s degrees for employment. Many students choose to go directly into four-year bachelor’s degree programs at full-scale universities. Though this is a popular choice, it usually isn’t the most affordable. Instead, choosing to earn an associate degree at a community college and then transferring to a university allows you to get the first two years of education out of the way at a severely reduced price point. Case in point: the highest cost of tuition featured on this list is less than $3,500, and that’s not even accounting for financial aid and scholarships!
Community colleges not only save students money, they make it easier to get into universities. Community colleges feed into state colleges, which means transferring credits is simple, and you won’t lose credits in the process. Moreover, some community colleges are connected with state schools directly, and allow for guaranteed admissions into these universities.
As a bonus, community colleges allow you to choose which of your credits transfer, and which do not. This means that you can take your least favorite or most troublesome courses and subjects at a community college, and if you don’t do as well as you would like, you can opt to have the grades excluded from your transcript. For example, if you aren’t the best at math, you can take a math course at community college, and if you fail, you don’t have to transfer the credit and can prevent it affecting your GPA.
Community colleges offer lots of benefits to undergraduate students, whether traditional or nontraditional. Online degrees earned through community colleges make your educational experience even more affordable and personalized. If you’re a Texas resident considering earning an associate degree or certificate, the best online community colleges in Texas can be a perfect fit for your needs.
Any ties on this list were broken by which school has more first, second, or third place degree rankings on our site.
The Best Online Community Colleges in Texas
#1. Central Texas College
Killeen, Texas
Score
59
TX Relative Cost
Established in 1965, Central Texas College has over 16,000 students enrolled, 44% of whom are fully online. Though not a military college, the institution’s proximity to military installations has made it a popular option for service members, and the college caters to a military population.
Central Texas College offers more than 65 fully online degree programs at the associate and certificate levels. Highlights among the college’s many associate degree offerings include AA, AS, and AAS programs in general studies, interdisciplinary studies, business administration, criminal justice, paralegal, and homeland security. Students seeking quick, specialized education may earn certificates in areas including business management, child development, criminal justice, cybersecurity, IT network analyst, and web technologies.
Central Texas College is considered a military friendly school, as well as a first-generation student friendly school.
On average, in-state students at Central Texas College pay $3,390 for annual tuition. 72% of students receive some form of financial aid or scholarship, averaging $3,586.
Central Texas College is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
See CTC’s full list of online degrees!#2. Trinity Valley Community College
Athens, Texas
Score
53
TX Relative Cost
Established in 1946, Trinity Valley Community College has four campuses in southeastern Texas. Over 6,000 students are enrolled at TVCC, 39% of whom are fully online.
Trinity Valley Community College offers more than 15 fully online associate degree programs. Students may select from a wide array of AA program options, including computer science, accounting, criminal justice, pre-law, psychology, and Spanish. Additionally, it offers a Workforce Education Program, which prepares students with the skills necessary for a variety of careers.
TVCC is a military friendly school and a first-generation student friendly school.
The average cost of annual tuition at TVCC for in-state students is $4,920. 82% of students receive some form of financial aid or scholarship, averaging $4,479.
Trinity Valley Community College is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
See TVCC’s full list of online degrees!#3. Grayson College
Denison, Texas
Score
51
TX Relative Cost
Established in 1965, Grayson college has over 4,000 students enrolled. 21% of the Grayson college student population is enrolled fully online. Grayson College is partnered with West Texas A&M University.
Grayson college offers eight fully online degree programs at the associate and certificate levels. Students may earn associate of science and associate of applied science degrees in areas including child development, criminal justice, general studies, business administration, web based small business development and education. Certificate options including medical billing and coding, and medical administrative assistant.
Grayson College is considered a first-generation student friendly school.
The average cost of tuition for in-state students at Grayson College is $3,782. 79% of students receive some form of financial aid or scholarship, averaging $5,932.
Grayson College is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
See GC’s full list of online degrees!#4. Lone Star College System
The Woodlands, Texas
Score
51
TX Relative Cost
Made up of seven campuses, the Lone Star College System is a community college system established in 1973. Lone Star has a huge student population of over 74,000, 16% of whom are enrolled fully online.
Lone Star College System offers over 15 fully online degree programs at the associate and certificate levels. Students interested in earning associate degrees may pursue programs in areas including teaching, criminal justice, speech communication, accounting, business administration, and computer programming. Students seeking certificates have options including C++ programming, accounting, and administrative support.
LSCS is federally recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. It is also considered a first-generation student friendly school.
The average cost of tuition for in-state students at LSCS is $4,244. 56% of students receive some form of financial aid, averaging $3,835.
Lone Star College System is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
See LSCS’s full list of online degrees!#5. Navarro College
Corsicana, Texas
Score
51
TX Relative Cost
Established in 1946, Navarro College is a community college with five campuses. Over 8,000 students are enrolled at Navarro College, 19% of whom are enrolled fully online. Navarro College is connected with Texas A&M University—Commerce.
Navarro College offers more than 15 fully online degree programs at the associate and certificate levels. Students may pursue AA, AS, and AAS programs in areas including business, accounting, psychology, paralegal studies, and criminal justice. Students interested in quick specialized education may pursue certificates such as child development, criminal justice, paralegal studies, and administrative professional.
Navarro is a first-generation student friendly school.
On average, in-state students at Navarro College pay $4,452 in annual tuition. 63% of students receive some form of financial aid or scholarship, averaging $4,455.
Navarro College is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
See NC’s full list of online degrees!#6. Alvin Community College
Alvin, Texas
Score
50
TX Relative Cost
Established in 1948, Alvin Community College enrolls over 5,500 students, 5% of whom are fully online.
ACC offers four fully online programs. Students may select from an associate of applied sciences in management, an associate of arts in sociology, or an associate of arts in psychology. The college also offers a certificate program in management.
Alvin Community College is federally recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. It is also considered a first-generation student friendly school. Additionally, ACC offers the unique benefit of allowing active-duty military to pay in-state tuition, regardless of where they currently are.
The average cost of in-state undergraduate tuition at Alvin Community College is $2,786. 55% of students receive some form of financial aid or scholarship, averaging $4,319.
Alvin Community College is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
See ACC’s full list of online degrees!#7. Cedar Valley College
Lancaster, Texas
Score
50
TX Relative Cost
Cedar Valley College is a community college established in 1977. It has over 8,000 students enrolled, 9% of whom are completing degrees fully online.
Cedar Valley College offers more than 20 fully online degree programs at the associate and certificate levels. AA and AAS programs are available in teaching, criminal justice, business administration, and marketing. Students interested in certificates have options including business marketing, criminal justice, human resources assistant, real estate, and small animal assisting.
Cedar Valley College is federally recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and a Predominantly Black Institution. It is also considered a first-generation student friendly school.
The average in-state undergraduate tuition at Cedar Valley College is $3,330. 84% of students receive some form of scholarship or financial aid, averaging $3,524.
Cedar Valley College is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
See CVC’s full list of online degrees!#8. Del Mar College
Corpus Christi, Texas
Score
50
TX Relative Cost
Established in 1935, Del Mar College is a community college with over 12,000 students enrolled across several campuses. 18% of the college’s student population is enrolled fully online.
Del Mar College offers seven fully online degree programs at the associate and certificate levels. Associate degree-seekers may complete programs in business administration, criminal justice, English, liberal arts, and teaching. Certificate options include criminal justice and management development.
Del Mar College is federally recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. It is also a military friendly school and a first-generation student friendly school.
In-state undergraduate students at Del Mar College pay $4,275 in tuition, on average. 73% of Del Mar students receive some form of financial aid, averaging $4,243.
Del Mar College is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
See DMC’s full list of online degrees!#9. Blinn College
Brenham, Texas
Score
48
TX Relative Cost
Established in 1884, Blinn College is among the oldest community colleges on this list. It has over 20,000 students enrolled, 2% of whom are enrolled fully online.
Blinn College offers over 15 fully online associate degree and certificate programs. Students may select from AA and AS degrees in areas including business, computer science, sociology, American sign language, health information technology, and psychology. Its programs are optimized for students who intend to transfer into bachelor’s degree programs at four-year universities. Notably, Blinn College boasts a high transfer rate of program graduates.
Blinn College is a first-generation student friendly school.
The average cost of in-state undergraduate tuition at Blinn College is $4,296. 64% of students receive some form of financial aid or scholarship, averaging $3,821.
Blinn College is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
See BC’s full list of online degrees!#10. Coastal Bend College
Beeville, Texas
Score
48
TX Relative Cost
Formerly Bee County College, Coastal Bend College was established in 1965. It has a student population of over 2,000, 42% of whom are enrolled fully online.
Coastal Bend College offers two fully online associate degree programs. Online undergraduate students may choose between an AA or AS in general studies, which prepares them with the foundational knowledge necessary to transfer into a range of bachelor’s degree programs.
Coastal Bend College is federally recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. It is also considered a first-generation student friendly school.
On average, in-state undergraduate students at Coastal Bend College pay $4,493 in annual tuition. 72% of students receive some form of financial aid or scholarship, averaging at $5,776.
Coastal Bend College is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
See CBC’s full list of online degrees!#11. Austin Community College District
Austin, Texas
Score
41
TX Relative Cost
Serving the Austin and Central Texas areas, Austin Community College District is a community college system with over 41,000 students enrolled. 12% of the ACCD student population is enrolled fully online. The Austin Community College District was established in 1973.
ACCD offers more than 20 fully online degree programs at the associate and certificate levels. Students may earn AA and AS degrees in areas including Arabic, general studies, journalism, marketing, computer information technology, and criminal justice. Certificate options include computer information systems certificates with web developer and computer programming tracks, as well as certificates in marketing, real estate, and geographic information systems.
ACCD is federally recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. It is also a disability friendly school and a first-generation student friendly school.
The average in-state tuition for undergraduates at ACCD is $10,830. 57% of students receive some form of financial aid or scholarship, averaging $5,956.
Austin Community College District is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
See ACCD’s full list of online degrees!#12. Tyler Junior College
Tyler, Texas
Score
38
TX Relative Cost
Tyler Junior College is a community college established in 1926. It has over 12,000 students enrolled, 13% of whom are enrolled fully online.
Tyler Junior College offers more than 15 fully online associate degree, bachelor’s degree, and certificate programs. Students may select from associate degree paths in areas including economics, business, criminal justice, special education, social work, and psychology. Students interested in dentistry may complete a BS in dental hygiene.
Tyler Junior College is a first-generation student friendly school.
The average cost of in-state undergraduate tuition at Tyler Junior College is $4,762. 76% of students receive some form of financial aid or scholarship, averaging $5,167.
Tyler Junior College is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
See TJC’s full list of online degrees!