Howard Community College

About Howard Community College

Howard Community College is the institution’s verified current name; the supplied name “Howard County Community College” is not used by the college or its accreditor. HCC is a public community college founded in 1966 as Maryland’s fourteenth community college. It opened its doors in fall 1970 and is governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees whose members are appointed by Maryland’s governor. The college is currently operating and institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Its accreditation was reaffirmed in 2021, and the accreditor lists the next evaluation for 2028–2029. The official 2026–2027 catalog confirms that HCC offers associate-degree and certificate programs. These include transfer pathways, career-oriented credentials, and shorter forms of occupational preparation. Noncredit continuing education and workforce training expand its role beyond traditional degree study. Official FY2025 figures report 14,493 credit students and 8,757 noncredit continuing-education students, illustrating the breadth of its local educational role. These are annual participation figures rather than a single-term campus headcount. HCC is best evaluated as an accessible two-year institution: students may begin undergraduate study before transferring, complete an applied associate degree, pursue a certificate, or take individual courses. Because transfer rules and occupational requirements differ, the value of a particular pathway depends on the student’s intended destination, career field, and credential.

HCC provides a free general application for credit students. The official application process begins by creating an online account and submitting the application. Applicants then receive further instructions from the college. Placement is the next major step, but testing may not be required for everyone: HCC states that exemptions can be based on high-school GPA, previous course grades, or SAT, ACT, GED, or PARCC results. Applicants should submit the relevant records and follow the college’s current placement guidance. After placement, students meet with an adviser to clarify educational goals, select a major and courses, and create a graduation or transfer plan. Registration follows completion of the applicable admissions and advising steps. Payment planning and orientation complete the general sequence. The college’s current application page strongly encourages new students to attend orientation. General admission should not be confused with admission to every program. Nursing and allied-health clinical components have distinct requirements and prerequisite courses. Applicants to these fields should consult the appropriate specialist adviser before taking outside coursework, because transferability is not automatic. Other selective, clinical, or capacity-limited programs may also impose additional conditions. International and immigrant students have dedicated resources. Applicants seeking F-1 sponsorship should obtain the current international application packet because immigration documentation, financial evidence, English-language evidence, and deadlines differ from the general domestic process. No universal SAT, ACT, TOEFL, IELTS, or GPA threshold is presented here because the institution does not apply one verified standard across every applicant category.

HCC’s 2026–2027 catalog lists a substantial range of associate-degree and certificate pathways. Transfer-oriented examples include accounting, business administration, computer science, engineering, environmental science, mathematics, public health, visual arts, and several teacher-education fields. Career-oriented associate degrees include automotive technology, construction management, culinary arts management, dental hygiene, diagnostic medical sonography, manufacturing technology, physical therapist assistant, radiologic technology, respiratory care, and surgical technology. Availability and requirements should always be checked in the current catalog. Credential type matters. Transfer programs commonly lead to an Associate of Arts or another transfer-designated associate award, while applied programs frequently lead to an Associate of Applied Science. Certificates provide narrower preparation, and letters of recognition cover still more focused study. None should automatically be treated as equivalent to a bachelor’s degree. HCC’s catalog specifically labels programs as transfer or career pathways, helping applicants distinguish their intended purpose. Students planning to transfer should select a likely four-year institution and major early, then confirm how individual courses will apply. Completing an associate degree does not guarantee that every credit will satisfy a receiving program’s major requirements. Career students should likewise check whether their field involves prerequisites, clinical placements, external examinations, or professional licensing. HCC also lists fully online transfer degrees in General Studies and Business Administration for 2026–2027. Other courses may use in-person, scheduled-remote, hybrid, or flexible-online formats. Students should verify the delivery method of every section and consider whether laboratory, clinical, performance, or technical requirements still require attendance at a designated location.

Key Highlights

• Public community college founded in 1966 and opened in fall 1970
• Currently accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• Official FY2025 figures report 14,493 credit students and 8,757 noncredit continuing-education students

Student Life & Environment

HCC offers student activities intended to complement a largely commuter-based academic experience. The college’s Student Life office organizes educational, social, cultural, philanthropic, wellness, and leadership programming. Students may join or establish clubs, participate in the Student Government Association, contribute to The HCC Times, volunteer, attend Student Program Board events, or pursue service-learning opportunities. The published club list includes academic, identity-affirming, religious, service, social-action, and special-interest organizations. New Student Orientation connects incoming students with college resources and campus expectations. For fall 2026, HCC also scheduled Welcome Week for August 24–28 and the Dragon Connection Fair for September 9. These dates apply specifically to fall 2026 and should not be reused for later terms without checking the current events calendar. Intercollegiate teams compete as the HCC Dragons in the Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference and the National Junior College Athletic Association. The Kahlert Foundation Complex, opened in November 2024, contains competition and multipurpose gyms, locker rooms, fitness space, and strength-and-conditioning facilities. Participation in varsity athletics has separate eligibility and team requirements. Academic support includes advising, tutoring, completion assistance, disability support, and counseling resources. Students balancing employment or family obligations should compare service hours and event schedules with their course timetable. HCC does not describe a conventional residential-college experience on its general student-life pages, so applicants seeking housing should investigate independent arrangements directly with the college and local providers.

Location & Surroundings

Howard Community College’s main campus is at 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia, Maryland. Columbia is in Howard County between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. HCC describes the campus as approximately 35 minutes south of Baltimore and 50 minutes north of Washington, although actual travel time depends on traffic, route, and time of day. This position can support access to employment, internships, cultural institutions, and potential transfer destinations throughout the Baltimore–Washington corridor. It does not, however, make every regional destination an easy daily commute. Prospective students should test transportation options against their actual class schedule, especially for early-morning, evening, weekend, laboratory, or clinical commitments. The campus setting is more appropriate for students expecting to commute than for those seeking a self-contained residential university environment. Relocating students should independently compare local rent, transportation, food, and utility costs. They should also verify whether a planned program requires attendance away from the main campus, such as at a clinical, internship, or other experiential-learning site. Online course availability may reduce some travel, but the delivery format must be checked section by section.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For fall 2026, HCC publishes tuition of $144 per credit for Howard County residents, $281 for residents of other Maryland counties, and $388 for out-of-state residents. Tuition is capped at the 15-credit amount per semester: $2,160, $4,215, and $5,820 respectively. The college states that these figures are pending board approval and subject to change, so students should confirm the payable amount before registration. Tuition is not the entire bill. HCC publishes a consolidated fee calculated as a percentage of in-county tuition, and individual courses can carry additional fees. Books, materials, transportation, technology, food, and living expenses also affect affordability. Residency classification is therefore financially significant. Students must establish the category for which they qualify rather than assume that living in Maryland automatically produces the Howard County rate. Eligible students can investigate grants, scholarships, loans, payment options, and other aid through HCC. The application page directs students to complete financing steps after registration planning. Aid availability and deadlines vary by student status, and international students should not assume eligibility for U.S. federal aid. Career Services provides career coaching, résumé reviews, mock interviews, internship and job-search assistance, and access to opportunities through Handshake. HCC also supports internships, micro-internships, and cooperative education connected to academic credit. These resources can assist both career-program and transfer students, but they do not guarantee employment. No institution-wide placement rate or graduate salary figure is included because a current, comparable outcome statistic was not verified.