The University of Houston is one of Houston's top schools. The university has a diverse student population on its 667-acre campus. It offers more than 100 undergraduate majors and minors and nearly 200 graduate-degree programs, including internationally recognized research programs. As of 2011, the University of Houston's average cost of attendance runs between $16,418 and $21,994 for an academic year.
Houston Community College is one of the largest institutions of higher education in the Unites States. The college has a large multicultural population of more than 70,000 students in a urban setting and multiple learning platforms. HCC is one of the most affordable college educations in Houston, with an average cost of attendance around $3,000 for an academic year.
Rice University has more than 6,000 students, who on the average pay $31,430 for an academic year. The university offers both undergraduate and graduate-degree programs and is ranked as one of Texas's leading research institutions by Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education.
University of St. Thomas is a faith-based institution that offers prospective college students a Catholic liberal-arts education rooted in the Basilian tradition. The university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as certifications. While the University of St. Thomas is not as ethnically diverse as other institutions in Texas, the university is the only Catholic university in Houston. The estimated cost for a full-time student to attend the University of St. Thomas is around $36,000 in 2011.
Houston Baptist College is another faith-based college. Founded in 1960, HBC offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Its curriculum is similar to that of other colleges, but with a strong focus on the Baptist faith. The estimated cost for a full-time student to attend Houston Baptist College is about $33,000.