Lone Star College System
A good fit for families who need the lowest possible cost and students who want a major research university experience. graduation rate is below 25% — most students don't finish here. a public school with 47,486 students.
About This School
Lone Star College System is a public institution located in The Woodlands, Texas with approximately 47,486 undergraduate students enrolled. The average net price after financial aid is $9,322 per year. The graduation rate is 19%, and the typical graduate earns $40,800 within 10 years of enrollment.
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.
With a median debt of just $5,500 at graduation and a net price of around $9,322 per year, this is one of the most affordable paths to a degree or credential in the Houston area, making it a smart starting point for students watching their finances. However, the 19% graduation rate is a real concern — it suggests many students who enroll don't finish, which is worth taking seriously whether the cause is life circumstances, academic support gaps, or transfer patterns. If you're disciplined about your goals and have a clear plan (especially if you're aiming to transfer to a four-year school), the low cost and massive enrollment make this a genuinely practical option — just go in with a strategy, not just a hope.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 17% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
Lone Star College System graduates earn most above the national rate in Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($53,830 vs $37,656 nationally), and most below it in Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians ($53,830 vs $73,593).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 5,788 | $47,859 | $44,125 | +$3,734 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 495 | $50,531 | $49,927 | +$604 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 334 | $93,665 | $80,813 | +$12,852 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 257 | $53,830 | $37,656 | +$16,174 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 180 | $46,772 | $48,733 | −$1,961 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 178 | $44,057 | $46,706 | −$2,649 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 157 | $50,935 | $54,246 | −$3,311 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 157 | $73,655 | $65,389 | +$8,266 |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 88 | $34,994 | $41,929 | −$6,935 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 75 | $37,632 | $47,660 | −$10,028 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | 71 | $54,262 | $42,269 | +$11,993 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | 70 | $53,830 | $73,593 | −$19,763 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing an associate's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Strong return. Graduates earn well above their debt load.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (47,486 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Address
Lone Star College System
5000 Research Forest Drive
The Woodlands, TX 77381-4399
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
Lone Star College System is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Lone Star College System cost?
The average net price at Lone Star College System is about $9,322 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Lone Star College System?
Lone Star College System has a graduation rate of 19%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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