| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public community college district in Texas; two campuses plus 11 fully online degrees |
| Campuses | 2, both in Texas: the main campus in Alvin and Alvin College West in Manvel (opened April 2025) |
| Credentials | B.A.S. (one bachelor’s), A.A.S., A.A. and A.S. degrees, technical certificates and non-credit continuing-education courses |
| Students | 6,377 in fall 2025, a record (college figure, first day of classes) |
| Accreditation | The Commission on Colleges and Universities (formerly SACSCOC), for associate and bachelor’s degrees |
| Federal aid | Yes |
| 2026-27 tuition | $51 per credit hour in-district, $102 out-of-district, $155 out-of-state, plus fees |
| Founded | 1948, as Alvin Junior College |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
A public college in the Houston area, renamed in 2025
Alvin College is a public community college district in Texas, created in 1948 as Alvin Junior College and known as Alvin Community College from 1975 until its Board of Regents approved the new name in fall 2025. The college announced the change on 4 November 2025 and called it “a new name, same mission”. It teaches associate degrees, technical certificates and non-credit workforce courses at its main campus in Alvin and, since April 2025, at Alvin College West in Manvel. Its first bachelor’s degree, an online B.A.S. in Business Administration and Management, followed its accreditor’s approval to award baccalaureate degrees. Enrollment reached a record 6,377 students on the first day of fall 2025 classes, about 9% more than a year earlier.
Programs at Alvin College, and where they are taught
The table lists the main career programs. Prices are the college’s own published estimates, which it says are subject to change and gives without an effective date; credit programs are otherwise charged by the credit hour (see the tuition table below). Non-credit means a continuing-education course that does not earn college credit.
| Program | Credential | Length / schedule | Where taught | Prepares for / accreditation | Published price (in-district / out-of-district) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree Nursing (RN) | A.A.S. | 2 years; next listed intake spring 2027 | Main campus; clinicals across Houston-Galveston | NCLEX-RN; ACEN, Texas BON | – |
| Nursing Transition (LVN to ADN) | A.A.S. | 1 year; summer and fall 2027 intakes | Main campus | NCLEX-RN; ACEN, Texas BON | – |
| Vocational Nursing (LVN) | Certificate, 44 credits | 1 year, starts each summer | Main campus (Building S) | NCLEX-PN; Texas BON | About $7,100 / $9,300 all-in |
| Respiratory Care | A.A.S. | 2 years, full-time | Main campus | CoARC #200307 | – |
| Diagnostic Cardiovascular Sonography | Program with adult cardiac, pediatric cardiac and vascular concentrations | – | Main campus | CAAHEP (JRC-DMS) | – |
| Pharmacy Technician | A.A.S.; Certificate 1 and 2 | 4 semesters / 2 semesters; online lectures, evening labs | Main campus | PTCE | $7,155 / $9,994 (A.A.S.); $4,164 / $5,847 (Cert. 1) |
| Process Technology | A.A.S.; two certificates | – | Main campus (Room N-103) | – | About $4,200 / $6,600 (A.A.S.); $2,600 / $4,200 (cert.) |
| Emergency Medical Services | A.A.S.; certificate | – | Main campus; EMS Basic at Alvin College West | NREMT | – |
| Health Information Management | A.A.S.; medical coding certificate | 100% online | Online | – | – |
| Welding Technology | A.A.S.; Level 1 certificate | – | Main campus | – | – |
| Drafting & Design Engineering Technology | A.A.S.; certificate | – | Main campus | – | – |
| Paralegal | A.A.S.; certificate | – | Main campus | Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved; not ABA-approved | – |
| Cybersecurity; Computer Networking | A.A.S. and certificates | – | Main campus | – | – |
| Criminal Justice | A.A.S. (Law Enforcement & Police Administration); A.S. | 100% online | Online | – | – |
| Law Enforcement Academy | Basic peace officer course | – | – | TCOLE licensing | – |
| Business Administration and Management | B.A.S.; also A.A.S. Business Management and A.S. Business Administration | 100% online | Online | – | – |
| CDL Training (Class A) | Non-credit, 4 courses | 4 weeks of days, 8 weeks of evenings, or weekends | Main campus | Texas Class A CDL | $3,435 / $3,575 |
| CNC/Machinist | Non-credit, 4 courses | 16 weeks, Mon–Thu 6–10 pm | Main campus (N112/N113) | – | $2,460 / $2,600 |
| Patient Care Technician bundle | Non-credit, 208 hours (EKG + Phlebotomy + PCT) | Hybrid | Alvin College West (summer 2025) | NHA exams | $3,746 / $3,851 |
| Phlebotomy Technician | Non-credit, 80 hours | Hybrid | Alvin College West, main campus | NHA CPT | $1,340 / $1,375 |
| EKG | Non-credit, 32 hours | – | Alvin College West, main campus | NHA CET | $932 / $967 |
| Clinical Medical Assistant; Dental Assistant | Non-credit | – | Main campus (both); Alvin College West (medical assistant) | – | – |
Several health programs carry programmatic accreditation: ACEN for the ADN, CoARC for Respiratory Care (program #200307, first accredited in 1976 and reaffirmed in March 2026 to 2036) and CAAHEP, on the JRC-DMS’s recommendation, for Diagnostic Cardiovascular Sonography. The Texas Board of Nursing approves both the ADN and the vocational nursing program. The college also teaches Neurodiagnostic Technology, and a Process Technology degree and two certificates. Pharmacy Technician is not described as ASHP/ACPE-accredited, and Paralegal is approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board but not by the American Bar Association.
Eleven degrees can be completed fully online: the B.A.S. in Business Administration and Management, A.A.S. degrees in Business Management, Criminal Justice (Law Enforcement & Police Administration), Health Information Management and Logistics, Materials & Supply Chain Management, A.S. degrees in Business Administration, Criminal Justice and Mathematics, and A.A. degrees in General Studies, Psychology and Sociology.
What the main programs cover
Associate Degree Nursing and the LVN-to-ADN Transition
The ADN is a two-year associate of applied science run from the nursing offices in Building S on the main campus. Clinical placements are spread across the Houston-Galveston region, including the Texas Medical Center. Applicants file a separate nursing application packet, and the program’s next listed intake is spring 2027. Licensed vocational nurses can instead take the Nursing Transition track, which takes one year and admits students in summer and fall 2027. Both tracks end in the same degree and the NCLEX-RN.
Vocational Nursing (LVN)
The vocational nursing certificate is 44 credit hours over one year, with a single intake each summer, and it is taught in Building S on the main campus. Applicants complete the program’s own application packet, and the HESI A2 entrance exam is included in the program’s published cost. The college’s published estimate covers tuition and fees, books, uniforms, HESI testing and licensure costs. Graduates sit the NCLEX-PN for a Texas vocational nursing licence, and graduates who later want to become RNs can return through the one-year transition track.
Pharmacy Technician
Lectures for Pharmacy Technician are delivered online and its labs meet in the evening. The two certificates take two semesters each, while the A.A.S. takes four semesters. Every route ends with a clinical internship in community and institutional pharmacies. The program prepares students for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) and has its own application packet, so admission is separate from the college’s open admission.
Patient Care Technician, EKG and Phlebotomy
These non-credit courses are sold separately or as one 208-hour bundle: a 32-hour EKG course, an 80-hour phlebotomy course and a 96-hour patient care technician course, each with its own NHA certification exam (Certified EKG Technician, Certified Phlebotomy Technician and an NHA patient care technician exam). Classes are hybrid, mixing online work with in-person sessions; in summer 2025 they met at Alvin College West in Manvel, in Room W211. Before starting, students must buy a $95.99 background-check, drug-screen and immunization package.
CDL Training
The Class A CDL course is a sequence of four non-credit courses taught from the main campus. Students pick one of three formats: four weeks of day classes from Monday to Thursday, 7:00 am to 5:30 pm; eight weeks of evening classes; or a weekend section. To enroll, students must be at least 18, hold a Texas driver’s licence and already have a Class A commercial learner’s permit. The DOT physical, the $25 permit fee and a motor-vehicle record check are paid separately.
CNC/Machinist
The machinist course is four non-credit classes: Print Reading for Machining Trades, Basic Machine Shop I, Operation of CNC Turning Centers and Operation of CNC Machining Centers. It takes 16 weeks of evening classes, Monday to Thursday from 6 to 10 pm, in the machining rooms (N112 and N113) on the main campus. The college mentions industry-recognized credentials without naming them, and it does not offer NIMS certification.
Tuition and fees for 2026-27
Alvin College charges by residency: in-district, out-of-district and out-of-state. The 2026-27 rates on the college’s tuition page are $51, $102 and $155 per credit hour, plus a $10 general service fee per credit hour and $221 in flat fees each term (technology $98, security $38, student service $30, registration $30, learning resource center $15 and bursar $10).
| 2026-27 | In-district | Out-of-district | Out-of-state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition per credit hour | $51 | $102 | $155 |
| General service fee per credit hour | $10 | $10 | $10 |
| Flat fees per term | $221 | $221 | $221 |
| 12 credit hours, total | $953 | $1,565 | $2,201 |
| 15 credit hours, total | $1,136 | $1,901 | $2,696 |
Other charges include $35 for each online or hybrid course, a $10 technical course fee, $15 for co-op, internship or lab courses, and $50 for late registration. A payment plan is available with a $30 setup fee. Non-credit courses are priced separately, for example $3,435 in-district for CDL training. Niche, using federal data, shows an average net price of $9,268 a year (checked October 2026). The Texas net price calculator gives an estimate for an individual student.
Alvin College takes federal student aid. Active-duty military students from out of state pay in-state tuition when they show a military ID to the college’s VA certifying official. For the CNC course, the college says qualified students may be eligible for financial support and lists a grant and stipend contact.
Open admission, with separate applications for health programs
Admission to the college is open. The ADN, LVN-to-ADN Transition, vocational nursing, Diagnostic Cardiovascular Sonography, Respiratory Care and Pharmacy Technician programs each have their own application packet. Non-credit health courses require a $95.99 background-check, drug-screen and immunization package, which is non-refundable. Start dates are fixed for nursing: the ADN’s next listed intake is spring 2027, the transition track admits in summer and fall 2027, and vocational nursing starts each summer.
Schedules vary: CDL runs four-week day sessions, eight-week evening sessions or weekends; CNC machining meets on weekday evenings for 16 weeks; Pharmacy Technician pairs online lectures with evening labs; the PCT, EKG and phlebotomy courses are hybrid; and 11 degrees are fully online.
Accreditation and results
Alvin College is accredited to award associate and baccalaureate degrees by The Commission on Colleges and Universities, the new name of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) since 1 September 2026; the commission says the rename does not affect any member’s accreditation status. The college says its last reaffirmation review, after a virtual site visit in October 2020, found it in compliance with all standards with no formal recommendations.
| Measure | Result | Definition and source |
|---|---|---|
| ADN NCLEX-RN pass rate | 96.92% (63 of 65) in 2024; 98.55% (68 of 69) in 2023 | First-time candidates; the college’s ADN student-data page, citing the Texas Board of Nursing |
| ADN job placement | 99% (66 of 67 reported) for 2023/24 | Graduates employed within nine months, from state (THECB) data on the college’s ADN page |
| ADN on-time completion | 82.1% (32 of 39) | Fall 2023 entering cohort finishing in four consecutive semesters; college ADN page |
| LVN NCLEX-PN pass rate | 100% every year from 2012 through the May 2024 class | The college’s vocational nursing page and releases (May 2024 class: 20 of 20) |
| Graduation rate | 24% | Federal data as shown on Niche, checked October 2026 |
| After graduation | 87% employed after one year; median earnings $62,127 after five years | Federal data as shown on Niche, checked October 2026 |
The NCLEX figures are the college’s own and cover first-time candidates; the job-placement figure is state (THECB) data reported by the college. We did not find published outcome figures for respiratory care, sonography or process technology on the college pages we checked; for respiratory care, the college links to CoARC for outcomes rather than posting them. The college’s institution-wide student achievement page lists measures without values, so the graduation and earnings figures above come from federal data as Niche presents them.
Before you enroll
- Open admission does not guarantee a place in nursing or allied health. The ADN, vocational nursing, respiratory care, sonography and pharmacy technician programs each admit through a separate application, with fixed intake dates.
- Many of the quickest job programs, including CDL, CNC machining, patient care technician, phlebotomy, EKG, medical assistant and dental assistant, are non-credit courses with their own prices. Ask how they can be paid for before you register.
- Paralegal is not ABA-approved, and Pharmacy Technician does not claim ASHP/ACPE accreditation. Check whether employers you want to work for ask for either.
- The college’s online-degree page does not say whether students living outside Texas can enroll in its online programs; ask before applying from another state.
- Completion is low overall: federal data shown on Niche put the graduation rate at 24%, and most students attend part-time (4,250 of 5,872 undergraduates).
Two campuses: what each teaches
| Campus | Address | Main programs taught there |
|---|---|---|
| Main campus | 3110 Mustang Road, Alvin, TX 77511 | Campus-based credit programs, including nursing, respiratory care, sonography, pharmacy technician, process technology, welding and drafting; CDL, CNC and most non-credit health courses |
| Alvin College West | 11800 Magnolia Parkway, Manvel, TX 77578 | Non-credit health courses (nursing assistant, medical assistant, medication aide, EKG, phlebotomy, PCT), EMS Basic, biotechnology and some credit general-education classes |
Alvin College also offers dual-credit classes at 10 area high schools and courses inside five Texas prison units; neither is open to the general public. The former arrangement for classes at the University of Houston-Clear Lake’s Pearland campus no longer appears on the college’s locations page.
No housing; clinical and internship placements
Alvin College has no on-campus housing. Its concrete career links are built into programs: ADN students do clinical rotations across the Houston-Galveston region, including the Texas Medical Center, and Pharmacy Technician students finish with an internship in community and institutional pharmacies.
What students say
On Niche, Alvin College is rated 4.03 out of 5 from 413 reviews, with an overall grade of B+ (checked 10 October 2026). Reviewers most often praise supportive, responsive faculty and staff, low cost and good value, career-focused programs, especially nursing and health sciences, and tutoring, the learning lab and the library. The most common complaints are uneven teaching quality, limited campus life, parking near some buildings and the lack of housing. The reviews cover the whole college rather than one program or campus, and we could not see whether they were invited by the college or posted in bursts, so treat them as a general picture.
Sources
Checked October 2026: Locations and maps · Alvin College West · Name-change release · Tuition and fees 2026-2027 · Accreditation · ADN student data · Vocational nursing · Niche
Programs & Courses
Nursing
- Associate Degree Nursing (ADN, RN)
- Nursing Transition (LVN to ADN)
- Vocational Nursing (LVN) certificate
- Nursing Assistant
Health Sciences
- Respiratory Care
- Diagnostic Cardiovascular Sonography
- Neurodiagnostic Technology
- Pharmacy Technician
- Health Information Management (online)
- Clinical Medical Assistant (continuing education)
- Dental Assistant (continuing education)
- Phlebotomy Technician (continuing education)
- EKG (continuing education)
- Patient Care Technician (continuing education)
- Medication Aide and CNA/Medication Aide to LVN Bridge (continuing education)
- Medical Office Billing & Revenue Cycle Management (continuing education, online)
- Biotechnology (continuing education)
Emergency Services and Public Safety
- Emergency Medical Services
- EMS Basic
- Law Enforcement Academy
Industrial and Skilled Trades
- Process Technology
- Welding Technology
- Drafting & Design Engineering Technology
- CNC/Machinist (continuing education)
- CDL Training / Truck Driving (continuing education)
Business and Law
- Business Administration and Management (B.A.S., online)
- Business Management (A.A.S., online)
- Business Administration (A.S., online)
- Logistics, Materials, & Supply Chain Management (online)
- Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement & Police Administration (A.A.S., online)
- Criminal Justice (A.S., online)
- Paralegal
Information Technology
- Cybersecurity
- Computer Networking
Transfer Degrees
- General Studies (online)
- Mathematics (online)
- Psychology (online)
- Sociology (online)
- Communication
- Computer Science
- Health Science
- Music
Campus Locations
Houston (Alvin), TX 3110 Mustang Road, Alvin, TX 77511
Houston (Manvel), TX 11800 Magnolia Parkway, Manvel, TX 77578