| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public community college district for Dallas County; campus, online and hybrid classes |
| Locations | 7 campuses and 8 teaching centers, all in the Dallas area of Texas, plus support sites |
| Credentials | Certificates, occupational skills awards, associate degrees, 4 bachelor’s degrees and non-credit continuing-education certificates |
| Typical length | Two months (short workforce courses) to two years (AAS); 13 months for aviation maintenance |
| Tuition | $99 per credit hour for Dallas County residents, $169 for other Texans, $250 out of state (since Spring 2025) |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC, for associate and bachelor’s degrees; one accreditation for all campuses since June 2020 |
| Federal aid | Yes (FAFSA); TASFA for students not eligible for federal aid |
| Admission | Open admission; many health programs have their own application |
| Students | 105,577 credit and 26,225 continuing-education students (Spring 2026) |
| Founded | 1965, as Dallas County Junior College District |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
Seven colleges that became one
Dallas College is the public community college for Dallas County. It began in 1965 as the Dallas County Junior College District and was later the Dallas County Community College District, made up of seven separately accredited colleges: Brookhaven, Cedar Valley, Eastfield, El Centro, Mountain View, North Lake and Richland. In June 2020 SACSCOC approved a single accreditation, and the seven became campuses of one college. Programs are organized in seven schools, from Health Sciences to Manufacturing and Industrial Technology, and the college says it offers more than 100 career programs.
For a career student, the key point is that many health and trades programs are taught at only one to four locations, not at every campus. In Spring 2026 the college counted 105,577 credit students and 26,225 in continuing education, or 127,819 people in all.
Career programs and where they are taught
Tuition below is the college’s estimated total for full-time study at the Dallas County rate (October 2026); students from outside the county pay more. “CE” marks non-credit continuing-education courses, which are priced per course.
| Program | Credentials and estimated tuition | Where | Prepares for / accreditation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree Nursing | AAS, 2 years (16 months accelerated at Brookhaven); $5,940 | Brookhaven, El Centro, Mountain View, North Lake | NCLEX-RN; ACEN |
| Vocational Nursing | Certificate, 1 year, day only; $4,257 | Downtown Health Sciences Center | NCLEX-PN (Texas LVN) |
| RN-BSN | BSN, online, 12 or 24 months; confirm cost with the college | Online | ACEN (initial) |
| Certified Nurse Aide | CE, 2 months; $1,500 | Brookhaven, El Centro, Mountain View, North Lake | – |
| Radiologic Technology | AAS, 2 years; $5,940 | Brookhaven | ARRT radiography; JRCERT |
| CT, MRI, vascular interventional | Advanced technical certificates; $1,683–$2,376 | Brookhaven (CT also El Centro) | CT: for registered radiographers |
| Diagnostic medical and adult cardiac sonography | AAS, 2 years; $5,940. EKG certificate, 2 months, $1,500 | El Centro | CAAHEP |
| Surgical Technologist | AAS, 2 years; $5,940 | Downtown Health Sciences Center | CST exam; CAAHEP |
| Dental Hygiene | AAS, about 2 years; $5,940 | El Centro | CODA |
| Respiratory Care | AAS, 2 years; $5,940 | Downtown Health Sciences Center | CoARC |
| Medical Laboratory Technology | AAS, 2 years; $5,940 | Downtown Health Sciences Center | BOC exam; NAACLS |
| Medical Assisting | Certificates, 8 months ($1,980) or 1 year ($3,960); CE 6 months ($5,040) | Downtown Health Sciences Center | CAAHEP |
| Patient care tech, phlebotomy, sterile processing | Certificate (16+ credits); CE $1,800–$3,240 | El Centro | NHA CPCT/A; ASCP phlebotomy |
| Pharmacy Technician | CE, 4 months ($4,080) or 8 months ($6,030) | Richland | ASHP/ACPE |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | AAS, 2 years; $5,940 | Mountain View | ACOTE |
| EMT and paramedic | EMT certificate $1,782; paramedic certificate $4,158; AAS $5,940 | Brookhaven, Cedar Valley, Richland | NREMT; CAAHEP |
| Veterinary Technology | AAS, 2 years; $5,940. Veterinary assisting and other certificates $594–$2,795 | Cedar Valley, plus a distance program | VTNE; AVMA |
| HVAC | AAS $5,940; certificates $1,089–$5,049; CE $3,888–$8,640 | Cedar Valley, Eastfield, North Lake | – |
| Electrical | AAS $5,940 (North Lake only); certificates $1,782–$2,673; CE $5,184–$8,640 | Cedar Valley, Eastfield, North Lake; Coppell, Lancaster and South Dallas centers | – |
| Plumbing | AAS $5,940; certificates $1,782–$4,158; CE $8,640 | Cedar Valley, Eastfield, North Lake | Texas tradesman plumber exam |
| Welding | AAS $5,940; certificates $1,089–$3,267; CE $4,320–$8,736 | Eastfield, Mountain View, North Lake; Garland Center (CE) | – |
| Automotive | 4 AAS, $5,940 each, including Honda PACT and Toyota T-TEN; certificates $1,782–$1,980 | Brookhaven, Cedar Valley, Eastfield | – |
| Auto Body | AAS $5,940; certificates $2,079–$4,653 | Eastfield | – |
| Diesel preventive maintenance | Certificate, 1 year, $2,970; skills awards $1,188 | Cedar Valley | No diesel degree |
| Machining | AAS $5,940 (Richland only); CNC certificate $1,782 | Eastfield, Richland; Garland Center (CE) | – |
| Robotics and industrial automation | AAS $5,940; certificate $1,782 | Mountain View, Richland; Eastfield; Lancaster center (CE) | – |
| Construction technology and management | Credit programs | North Lake, Cedar Valley, Eastfield; Coppell Center | – |
| Aviation Maintenance | General, Airframe and Powerplant certificates, 13 months; $24,864 | Aviation Hangar, Cedar Valley, RedBird | FAA A&P |
| Culinary Arts and Bakery/Pastry | 2 AAS, $5,940 each; certificates $1,584–$3,960; CE $880–$3,960 | Culinary, Pastry and Hospitality Center; all campuses | ACF credentials (CE) |
| Fire Protection | AAS $5,940; Basic Firefighter certificate $3,168 | El Centro | TCFP |
| Law Enforcement Academy | CE, 21 or 42 weeks | Cedar Valley | TCOLE licensing exam |
| Paralegal | AAS $5,940; certificate $2,970 | El Centro | ABA-approved |
| Mortgage Banking | AAS $5,940 (North Lake only); certificate $1,584 | North Lake | – |
| Cyber security and software | Cyber Security AAS $5,940 (Richland); certificates $1,782; BAT in Software Development $11,880 | Certificates at all campuses; Cyber AAS at Richland; BAT at Richland or online | – |
| Early Childhood Education | Credit programs; BAS $11,880 | All campuses and online | – |
The college also teaches business, accounting, real estate, logistics, IT, game design, interior design and Commercial Music; see the campus list below. Some subjects are narrower than they look. Diesel training is only a one-year preventive maintenance certificate and two skills awards at Cedar Valley, with no diesel degree. Mobile app development is offered only as short continuing-education courses. Theater, drama, music and dance (apart from Commercial Music) are transfer programs.
What the main programs cover
Nursing: ADN, vocational nursing and RN-BSN
The ADN is a two-year associate degree at four campuses; Brookhaven also runs an accelerated format of 16 consecutive months. Vocational nursing is taught at the Downtown Health Sciences Center in the daytime only, over two 16-week terms and two 5-week terms, so it is hard to combine with a day job. The online RN-BSN uses 8-week courses taken over 12 months full-time or 24 months part-time, and its clinical work is done at a location the student chooses.
Aviation Maintenance Technology
This program prepares students for the FAA’s Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) mechanic exams. It is split into three certificates, General, Airframe and Powerplant, taken over 13 months of daytime classes. Hands-on training uses the college’s Aerospace and Aviation Hangar at Dallas Executive Airport, with Cedar Valley and the Workforce Center at RedBird also listed as teaching sites. At $24,864 in total it costs far more than any other program on the college pages we checked, so students should plan aid and income before starting.
Plumbing and electrical licensing routes
The college ties several trades programs to Texas licensing steps. Its Tradesman Plumber certificate prepares students for the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners tradesman exam and waives the board’s 4,000-hour on-the-job training requirement. Electrical students can take the Commercial Electrical Technology AAS at North Lake or a continuing-education Pre-Apprentice course. The South Dallas Training Center’s 8-week program, free to eligible participants, combines NCCER Level 1 construction and electrical, OSHA 30 and preparation for apprentice electrician registration with the state.
Automotive and auto body
Automotive students choose among four AAS degrees: Automotive Career Technician, a Dealership-Sponsored degree, and two manufacturer-linked programs, Honda PACT and Toyota T-TEN, which the college lists among its industry partnerships. Brookhaven offers seven automotive paths in all, Cedar Valley and Eastfield also teach the subject, and continuing-education courses include electric vehicle service. Auto body is a separate program, taught only at Eastfield, with an AAS and certificates in metal work, painting and shop management.
Law Enforcement Academy
The academy at Cedar Valley teaches the Basic Peace Officer Course required for a Texas peace officer license, ending in the TCOLE licensing exam. It runs 21 weeks full-time, or 42 weeks part-time with evening or morning classes. Before admission, applicants pay for a medical exam ($135), a psychological exam ($150) and fingerprinting ($40). Because it is continuing education, it is not billed per credit hour and does not lead to a degree; the academy does not publish its exam pass rate.
Cost and paying for it
Credit tuition has been the same since Spring 2025, when the college raised its base rates for the first time in ten years (by $20 to $50 per credit hour). The tuition page, updated in July 2026, lists:
- Dallas County residents: $99 per credit hour ($297 for a three-credit class; $1,188 for 12 credits)
- Other Texas residents: $169 per credit hour
- Out-of-state and international students: $250 per credit hour
- A surcharge of $50 per credit hour for a third or later attempt at the same course, and for credits above the state maximum
At the county rate a 60-credit AAS comes to $5,940 in tuition. The BAS in Early Childhood Education and the BAT in Software Development are estimated at $11,880 each, books included. The college gives two different figures for the RN-BSN, so confirm its cost with the college. Continuing-education courses are priced individually, and Aviation Maintenance ($24,864) is the costliest program we found. Niche, using federal data, lists average net prices from about $3,177 to $7,332 a year depending on the campus page (October 2026).
Students apply for aid with the FAFSA, or the TASFA if they are not eligible for federal aid. The Dallas College Promise covers remaining tuition for seniors at participating Dallas County high schools who have financial need, for certificates and associate and bachelor’s degrees; for the class of 2026, the first form (the Promise Path) was due 4 February 2026. A Parent Promise also exists. The South Dallas Training Center program is free to eligible participants, and the Garland Center runs Skills Development Fund training. Veterans should ask the college’s military-connected services office about GI Bill and Hazlewood certification; we could not confirm the details on its current pages.
Admission and schedules
Dallas College has open admission and, according to Niche, no application fee and no SAT or ACT requirement. Many health programs are selective and have their own admission: Respiratory Care, for example, requires an application packet, a background check and a drug test. Some programs set their own schedules: vocational nursing is daytime only, and the Occupational Therapy Assistant program takes about 35 hours a week in person.
Most other programs offer day, evening, weekend, online and hybrid classes, and Flex Term sections start at several points in the year. The Law Enforcement Academy has full-time and part-time (morning or evening) options. High school students can take dual credit, and the college works with 17 school district partners on early college and P-TECH high schools.
Accreditation and results
Dallas College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate and bachelor’s degrees. SACSCOC approved its single accreditation on 15 June 2020, and the college does not appear in the June 2026 SACSCOC board actions report. The college reports a 30% graduation rate within 150% of normal time for 2024-25 (IPEDS measure; 27% to 33% since 2020-21), 62% fall-to-fall retention including transfers and completers, and a 76% course pass rate. Its Student Achievement page lists 2024-25 licensure pass rates of 67% to 100% across 24 program areas (summarized from that page). Program pages report:
| Program | Exam | Result | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree Nursing | NCLEX-RN | 90% (169 of 186): El Centro 96%, Mountain View 94%, North Lake 86%, Brookhaven 82% | AY 2024-25 |
| Vocational Nursing | NCLEX-PN | 100%, 88%, 75% | 2019, 2020, 2021 (latest published) |
| Radiologic Technology | ARRT | 93% (231 of 248) | Five-year average |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonography | Credential success | 100% | Three-year average |
| Adult Cardiac Sonography | Credential exam | 100% | 2022–2024 |
| Surgical Technologist | CST | 82% (9 of 11); 93%; 87% | 2024-25; 2023-24; 2022-23 |
| Medical Laboratory Technology | BOC | 67% (8 of 12); 92% (11 of 12) | 2024-25; 2023-24 |
| EMS / Paramedic | NREMT | 85%: Brookhaven 82%, Cedar Valley 94% | 2024 |
| Veterinary Technology | VTNE (first time) | 65.4% of 205 candidates | 2023–2025 |
| Pharmacy Technician | Certification exam | 63% (national 69%), cohorts of 6–15 | As published, October 2026 |
Programmatic accreditors include ACEN (nursing), JRCERT (radiography), CAAHEP (sonography, surgical technology, medical assisting and paramedic), CODA (dental hygiene), CoARC (respiratory care), NAACLS (laboratory), ACOTE (OTA), ASHP/ACPE (pharmacy technician), AVMA (veterinary technology) and the ABA (paralegal approval). The vocational nursing page’s pass rates stop at 2021 and its accreditation dates at Spring 2024, so ask for current figures.
Before you enroll
- Check the campus, not just the college. Many programs run at a single site: auto body at Eastfield; OTA at Mountain View; the Commercial Electrical and Mortgage Banking AAS at North Lake; Precision Machining, Cyber Security and game design AAS at Richland; veterinary technology (plus a distance option) and the police academy at Cedar Valley.
- Some program names promise more than they deliver. There is no diesel technician degree, only a preventive maintenance certificate; the CT certificate is for registered radiographers, not beginners; theater and most music study is for transfer, not a job.
- Results differ by program and campus. NCLEX-RN pass rates in 2024-25 ranged from 82% at Brookhaven to 96% at El Centro. The VTNE rate for veterinary technology was 65.4% (2023–2025), the laboratory BOC rate fell to 67% in 2024-25, and pharmacy technician students passed at 63% against 69% nationally.
- Where you live sets the price. Out-of-county Texans pay $169 and out-of-state students $250 per credit hour, against $99 for Dallas County residents, and a third attempt at a course adds $50 per credit hour.
- El Centro’s downtown site is due to be replaced. On 25 June 2026 the college chose a developer for a planned downtown campus of about 800,000 square feet, estimated at $500 million and targeted for about 2032, on the El Centro footprint.
Campuses and training centers
All sites are in the Dallas area. This list leaves out the Administrative Office on Botham Jean Boulevard; the Bill J. Priest Center, which mainly supports small businesses; the Irving and West Dallas centers, which teach English as a second language and high school equivalency; the Cedar Hill Center, whose page lists no programs; and the Pleasant Grove Center, which offers short workforce and health care certification courses, core classes and adult education.
| Location | Address | Main career programs |
|---|---|---|
| Brookhaven Campus | 3939 Valley View Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75244 | ADN (accelerated), radiologic technology, CT, MRI, automotive, EMS, health information, child development |
| Cedar Valley Campus | 3030 N. Dallas Ave., Lancaster, TX 75134 | Veterinary technology, police academy, automotive, diesel maintenance, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, aviation, Commercial Music |
| Eastfield Campus | 3737 Motley Drive, Mesquite, TX 75150 | Auto body, automotive, mechatronics, machining, welding, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, construction |
| El Centro Campus | 801 Main St., Dallas, TX 75202 | Nursing (ADN, LVN, RN-BSN), allied health, paralegal, fire protection, interior design |
| Mountain View Campus | 4849 W. Illinois Ave., Dallas, TX 75211 | ADN, occupational therapy assistant, welding, robotics and automation |
| North Lake Campus | 5001 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving, TX 75038 | ADN, Commercial Electrical AAS, Mortgage Banking AAS, construction management, land surveying, HVAC, plumbing, welding |
| Richland Campus | 12800 Abrams Road, Dallas, TX 75243 | Precision machining, cyber security, game design, software development BAT, pharmacy technician, EMS |
| Downtown Health Sciences Center | 301 N. Market St., Dallas, TX 75202 | Labs for nursing, sonography, surgical technology, dental hygiene, respiratory care, medical assisting, laboratory |
| Culinary, Pastry and Hospitality Center | 11830 Webb Chapel Road, Suite 1200, Dallas, TX 75234 | Culinary arts, bakery and pastry |
| Coppell Center | 101 S. Royal Lane, Coppell, TX 75019 | Logistics, construction, electrical (credit courses) |
| Garland Center | 675 W. Walnut St., Garland, TX 75040 | Welding and machinist courses (CE), corporate training |
| Lancaster Workforce Development Center | 4315 S. Lancaster Rd., Dallas, TX 75216 | Construction, mechatronics, electrical, computer certifications (CE) |
| South Dallas Training Center | 4915 Brashear St., Dallas, TX 75210 | 8-week electrical and construction program |
| Workforce Center at RedBird | 3662 W. Camp Wisdom Rd., Suite 2065, Dallas, TX 75237 | Aviation maintenance (listed site) |
| Aerospace and Aviation Hangar | 5555 Apollo Drive, Dallas, TX 75237 | Aviation maintenance (FAA A&P) |
Housing and career connections
Dallas College has no on-campus housing. Its career links are mostly built into programs: the Honda PACT and Toyota T-TEN automotive degrees are manufacturer partnerships, the college partnered with Amazon on mechatronics and robotics apprenticeships in 2021, and Brookhaven’s early childhood program has a Head Start partnership. Dental hygiene students treat patients in El Centro’s on-site clinic, and veterinary technology students train in Cedar Valley’s AAHA-accredited clinic facilities. Business owners can use the Bill J. Priest Center, which hosts Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses.
What students say
Niche has a separate review page for each of the seven campuses, each with more than 400 reviews: 4,558 in all, averaging about 4.0 out of 5 (our calculation, checked 5 October 2026). Niche’s page for Dallas College as a whole returned an error when checked.
| Campus (Niche page) | Rating | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Richland | 4.14 | 792 |
| Eastfield | 3.86 | 765 |
| El Centro | 3.97 | 686 |
| North Lake | 3.95 | 661 |
| Mountain View | 4.08 | 657 |
| Brookhaven | 4.01 | 569 |
| Cedar Valley | 3.99 | 428 |
Reviewers most often praise caring, approachable instructors, low cost and the choice of online and hybrid classes. The most common complaints are poor communication between offices, especially financial aid, registration and advising, along with parking and uneven quality in online courses. Most of the Niche pages still carry the former colleges’ names, and we could not see review dates, so we cannot tell how recent the reviews are or whether they were invited or posted in bursts.
Sources
Checked October 2026: Dallas College locations · Areas of study · Tuition · Accreditation · Student achievement · Nursing · Niche (Richland reviews) · Hoodline on the planned downtown campus (June 2026)
Programs & Courses
Nursing
- Associate Degree Nursing (ADN), including Brookhaven's 16-month accelerated format
- Vocational Nursing (LVN)
- RN-BSN (online)
- Certified Nurse Aide (continuing education)
Health Sciences
- Radiologic Technology
- Computed Tomography, MRI and Vascular Interventional (advanced technical certificates)
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography
- Adult Cardiac Sonography
- EKG Technician
- Surgical Technologist
- Dental Hygiene
- Respiratory Care
- Medical Laboratory Technology
- Medical Assisting
- Patient Care Technician
- Phlebotomy (continuing education)
- Sterile Processing (continuing education)
- Pharmacy Technician (continuing education)
- Occupational Therapy Assistant
- Emergency Medical Technician
- Paramedic / EMS
- Health Information Technology
- Medical Front Office
- Veterinary Technology
- Veterinary Assisting
Construction, Building and Electrical Trades
- Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC)
- Commercial Electrical Technology
- Plumbing Technology and Tradesman Plumber
- Construction Technology
- Construction Management
- Land Surveying
- Computer-Aided Design and Drafting
Manufacturing, Automotive and Aviation
- Welding
- Precision Machining and CNC Mill and Lathe Operator
- Robotics and Industrial Automation
- Automotive Technology (including Honda PACT and Toyota T-TEN)
- Auto Body Technology
- Diesel Preventive Maintenance Technician
- Aviation Maintenance Technology (General, Airframe and Powerplant)
Culinary and Hospitality
- Culinary Arts
- Bakery / Pastry
- Hospitality Management
Public Safety and Law
- Fire Protection Technology and Basic Firefighter
- Law Enforcement Academy (Basic Peace Officer Course)
- Criminal Justice and Public Safety
- Paralegal and Junior Legal Assistant
Business
- Accounting
- Business and Management
- BAS in Management (online)
- Entrepreneurship
- Human Resources
- International Business and Trade
- Marketing
- Logistics and Supply Chain
- Mortgage Banking
- Real Estate and Insurance
Computing and Design
- Computer Information Technology and PC Support
- Computer Networking and Security
- Cyber Security
- Software Development (AAS and Bachelor of Applied Technology)
- Programming certificates (C#, C++, Java, Python, database)
- Web and Internet Services
- Interactive Simulation and Game Technology
- Interior Design
- Commercial Music
Education
- Child Development / Early Childhood Education
- BAS in Early Childhood Education and Teaching
Campus Locations
Brookhaven Campus, Dallas (Farmers Branch), TX 3939 Valley View Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75244
Cedar Valley Campus, Dallas (Lancaster), TX 3030 N. Dallas Ave., Lancaster, TX 75134
Eastfield Campus, Dallas (Mesquite), TX 3737 Motley Drive, Mesquite, TX 75150
El Centro Campus, Dallas, TX 801 Main St., Dallas, TX 75202
Mountain View Campus, Dallas (Oak Cliff), TX 4849 W. Illinois Ave., Dallas, TX 75211
North Lake Campus, Dallas (Irving), TX 5001 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving, TX 75038
Richland Campus, Dallas, TX 12800 Abrams Road, Dallas, TX 75243
Downtown Health Sciences Center, Dallas, TX 301 N. Market St., Dallas, TX 75202
Culinary, Pastry and Hospitality Center, Dallas, TX 11830 Webb Chapel Road, Suite 1200, Dallas, TX 75234
Coppell Center, Dallas (Coppell), TX 101 S. Royal Lane, Coppell, TX 75019
Garland Center, Dallas (Garland), TX 675 W. Walnut St., Garland, TX 75040
Lancaster Workforce Development Center, Dallas, TX 4315 S. Lancaster Rd., Dallas, TX 75216
South Dallas Training Center, Dallas, TX 4915 Brashear St., Dallas, TX 75210
Workforce Center at RedBird, Dallas, TX 3662 W. Camp Wisdom Rd., Suite 2065, Dallas, TX 75237
Aerospace and Aviation Hangar, Dallas, TX 5555 Apollo Drive, Dallas, TX 75237