by our College Data Analytics TeamThis guide covers the real cost of attending Lone Star College System, including attendance costs, projected four- and two-year degree costs, average net price, debt outcomes, and how aid is distributed across income levels.
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The total cost of attendance at Lone Star College System varied between $14,637.00 to $16,557.00 depending on whether you qualify for in-state rates.
In-state residents qualified for the lower cost, with out-of-state students paying more: about $14,637.00 in-state against $16,557.00 for out-of-state students.
The three scenarios below move from the full sticker price, to the net price after average aid, to the net price low-income students typically pay.
| Tuition and fees | $7,470.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $7,167.00 |
| Total cost | $14,637.00 |
| That is 24% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $14,637.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$4,269.00 |
| Net price | $10,368.00 |
| That is 46% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $14,637.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$4,864.00 |
| Net price | $9,773.00 |
| That is 49% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $9,390.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $7,167.00 |
| Total cost | $16,557.00 |
| That is 14% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $16,557.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$4,269.00 |
| Net price | $12,288.00 |
| That is 36% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $16,557.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$4,864.00 |
| Net price | $11,693.00 |
| That is 39% below the national average net price. | |
| For the full breakdown, see the tuition & fees page and living costs. |
The reported cost series has been increasing at a recent average of 6.9% annually, so the projections below total more than one year of attendance. The detailed projections below compare a degree for a low-income aided student, an average-aid student, and a no-aid student. Loan figures amortise the projected total over ten years at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 6.9% | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Freshman year | $10,451.00 | $11,087.00 | $15,653.00 |
| Senior year | $12,781.00 | $13,559.00 | $19,142.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $46,360.00 | $49,183.00 | $69,434.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $17,662.00 | $18,737.00 | $26,452.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $534.00 | $566.00 | $799.00 |
| Total amount paid | $64,022.00 | $67,920.00 | $95,885.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 6.9% | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Freshman year | $10,451.00 | $11,087.00 | $15,653.00 |
| Senior year | $11,176.00 | $11,857.00 | $16,739.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $21,627.00 | $22,944.00 | $32,391.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $8,239.00 | $8,741.00 | $12,340.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $249.00 | $264.00 | $373.00 |
| Total amount paid | $29,867.00 | $31,685.00 | $44,731.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 6.9% | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Freshman year | $12,504.00 | $13,141.00 | $17,706.00 |
| Senior year | $15,292.00 | $16,070.00 | $21,653.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $55,468.00 | $58,291.00 | $78,541.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $21,131.00 | $22,207.00 | $29,921.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $638.00 | $671.00 | $904.00 |
| Total amount paid | $76,599.00 | $80,497.00 | $108,463.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 6.9% | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Freshman year | $12,504.00 | $13,141.00 | $17,706.00 |
| Senior year | $13,372.00 | $14,052.00 | $18,934.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $25,876.00 | $27,193.00 | $36,640.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $9,858.00 | $10,360.00 | $13,959.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $298.00 | $313.00 | $422.00 |
| Total amount paid | $35,734.00 | $37,553.00 | $50,599.00 |
Jump to the net-price detail in the Net Price section.
Net price reflects the true cost to attend after grant and scholarship aid is deducted. For most families it is a more realistic figure than the published cost.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $11,252.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $9,322.00 |
The real cost varies by income because need-based aid scales with financial need. Here is the average net price for each family-income range:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $8,245.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $8,862.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $10,373.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $12,310.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $14,153.00 |
Run your own numbers with the Lone Star College System Net Price Calculator, or contact the financial aid office.
Curious how grants and scholarships are distributed? Explore the financial aid breakdown.
The median amount borrowed by graduates of Lone Star College System amounts to $5,500.00, placing the school in the Very Low (<$10k) debt-load classification.
The percentile breakdown reveals the full debt landscape:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $1,750.00 |
| 25th | $3,152.00 |
| Median (50th) | $5,500.00 |
| 75th | $9,500.00 |
| 90th | $18,500.00 |
The gap between 10th and 90th percentile borrowers gives a sense of how uneven debt outcomes are.
Read the complete debt breakdown on the student-loan-debt breakdown.
Family income tracks closely with debt at graduation. The table below divides borrowers into three income tiers:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $6,000.00 |
| Middle income | $5,250.00 |
| High income | $5,500.00 |
Low-income graduates carry $500.00 in additional median debt versus high-income graduates.
Whether your parents attended college is associated with differences in median debt at graduation.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $5,500.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $5,500.00 |
Pell Grants are the federal government’s primary need-based undergraduate aid program. Contrasting Pell and non-Pell borrowers shows how need shapes debt.
The Pell-versus-non-Pell median debt difference at Lone Star College System works out to $750.00. This institution is flagged by federal data for Pell-debt inequity.
The default-rate category at Lone Star College System is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 11.3% |
For scale, federal Stafford loan disbursements at Lone Star College System come to $836,405,217.00 across 81,437 recipients.
Veterans and active-duty servicemembers can tap dedicated federal aid programs including the GI Bill and Tuition Assistance from the Department of Defense.
| GI Bill recipients | 1,403 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $2,446.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 104 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $1,340.00 |
Explore GI Bill and military aid in detail on the veterans benefits detail.
Use the figures above as a launch point, then think through Lone Star College System, keep these questions in mind:
Use the pages below to go deeper on a specific part of the cost story:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.