Odessa, Texas (TX) Colleges and Universities

There are five schools within 20 miles of Odessa, Texas. Read about the schools with most program variety, highest graduation rates, lowest student-faculty ratios and lowest costs to find the school for you.

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Most Program Variety

The colleges in the Odessa area range from a state university to a two-year college and the variety of academic programs they offer reflect this diversity. Below are listed the three Odessa area colleges with the most program variety.

1 - Midland College

Midland College in Midland, a four-year school that primarily offers associate's degrees, had about 90 academic program offerings in 2011-12, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES). The NCES said the school issued 424 associate's degrees and 11 bachelor's degrees that year, along with 209 undergraduate certificates. The health professions and related programs were Midland's most in demand, the NCES noted, with 140 associate's degrees and 65 certificates issued. Liberal arts studies and business were also popular, according to the NCES.

2 - Odessa College

Odessa College in Odessa is a two-year college that offers undergraduate certificates and associate's degrees. It offered approximately 86 academic programs in 2011-12, the NCES noted. Odessa College conferred 382 associate's degrees that year, according to the NCES, along with 110 one-year certificates and 128 two-year certificates. The highest number of associate's degrees and certificates, 108 and 50 respectively, were issued in the health professions, the NCES noted.

3 - The University of Texas of the Permian Basin

Located in Odessa, The University of Texas of the Permian Basin offered about 55 academic programs in 2011-12, according to the NCES. The school conferred 567 bachelor's degrees and 139 master's degrees that year, the NCES noted. Business was the most popular area of study for undergraduates, NCES figures show, with 130 bachelor's degrees issued, while education was the most common area of study for master's degree students. In 2013, U.S. News & World Report ranked the university's online bachelor's degree program #46 in the nation, based on considerations such as graduation rate and academic support offered to students. Online bachelor's degrees are offered in several majors including business administration - management, communication, psychology and child and family studies.

Lowest Net Price

The NCES figures the average net price for a school by deducting the amount of financial aid a student receives from the total cost of attending the school, including tuition board, books and fees. Here are the three Odessa schools with the lowest net price for the 2010-11 academic year, according to the NCES.

1 - Odessa College

The area's lowest-cost school, Odessa College, posted a net price of $3,250 for 2010-11 for beginning undergraduates who were Texas residents. The NCES said 76% of the schools first-time students received some type of financial aid in 2010-11. During the 2012-13 academic year, Odessa College's beginning undergraduates paid $2,400 if they lived in the school district, $3,400 if they lived in-state and $4,380 if out-of-state, the NCES reported. Room and board costs were estimated by the NCES at $4,970 for on-campus students and $7,515 for off-campus students in 2012-13.

2 - Midland College

The net price for beginning undergraduates at Midland College in 2010-11 was $5,375. According to the NCES, 82% of Midland's first-year students in 2010-11 received financial aid. In 2012-13, they paid $2,490 in tuition if they lived in the school district, $3,780, if they lived in Texas and $4,950 if their residence was outside of the state, the NCES reported. Room and board costs for on-campus students were estimated by the NCES at $4,486 in 2012-13; $9,637 for students living off the campus.

3 - The University of Texas of the Permian Basin

At The University of Texas of the Permian Basin, beginning undergraduates faced a net price of $6,356 for 2010-11. Almost all the first-year students - 99% - got some type of financial aid that year, according to the NCES. In-state tuition was $5,250 in 2012-13, the NCES reported, while out-of-state tuition was $13,674. On-campus room and board in 2012-13 was estimated to cost $7,616, according to NCES figures; the NCES reported off-campus room and board at an estimated $4,738.

Highest Graduation Rate

Odessa area colleges have relatively low graduation rates. The NCES determines the overall graduation rate by calculating the percentage of students who completed a program or transferred to another school in 150% of the usual time (six years for a bachelor's degree, for instance). Below are rankings for three colleges in the Odessa area in terms of graduation rates.

1- The University of Texas of the Permian Basin

The University of Texas of the Permian Basin posted a 34% overall graduation rate in 2011 for full-time students who began their studies in 2005, the NCES reported. The NCES said 41% of beginning students had transferred out by 2011. Only 18% of bachelor's degree students completed the program in the 'normal' four years, the NCES reported, while 32% graduated in six years and 35% in eight years. The school's retention rate, which measures the number of beginning students who return to the school the next year, is considered a good yardstick of student satisfaction. The University of Texas of the Permian Basin had a retention rate of 59% for first-year students and 25% for part-time students from fall 2010 to fall 2011, the NCES reported.

2 - Odessa College

Odessa College's overall graduation rate for full-time students who entered in 2008 was 15%, according to the NCES. The retention rate was 67% for full-time students from fall of 2010 to fall of 2011, and 56% for part-time students. The NCES reported that among the students who started their programs in the fall of 2007 of the fall of 2008, 6% graduated within the 'normal' time; 7% graduated within 150% of the normal time, while 8% graduated within twice the normal time.

3 - Midland College

At Midland College, the overall graduation rate was 13% for full-time students who entered the school in the fall of 2005, the NCES reported. There was a 28% transfer-out rate for students in this group, according to the NCES. Midland's graduation rates were nearly the same for men and women, at 14% and 12% respectively, the NCES noted.

Lowest Student-Faculty Ratio

Schools in the Odessa area have student-faculty ratios of less than 20:1, the NCES reported, which may mean students get an enhanced chance to interact with their instructors. Here are the three schools with the lowest student-faculty ratios in the fall of 2011.

1 - Odessa College

Odessa College reported a ratio of students to faculty of 15 to 1. The school employed 124 full-time faculty members and 219 part-time in the fall of 2011, according to the NCES. Odessa offers support to students through career counseling, advice on personal issues and help to veterans and students with disabilities.

2 - Midland College

Midland College posted a student-faculty ratio of 17:1. It had 132 full-time and 203 part-time faculty members in the fall of 2011, the NCES reported. In addition to learning from faculty members in regular classes, Midland students can also take advantage of guest speakers who visit the campus as part of the Davidson Distinguished Lecture Series.

3 - The University of Texas of the Permian Basin

The University of Texas of the Permian Basin posted a student-faculty ratio of 19:1. In 2013, U.S. News & World Report said nearly 35% of the university's classes had fewer than 20 students. The NCES said the school employed 119 full-time faculty members in the fall of 2011, along with 54 part-time instructors.

Odessa Area Schools at a Glance

School Name	Location	School Type	Degrees and Certificates Offered	Area Ranking
Midland College	Midland, TX (about 20 miles from Odessa)	4-year, primarily associate's, public	Less than one- and one- but less than two-year certificates; associate's and bachelor's degrees	Most Program Variety, 2nd Lowest Net Price, 2nd Lowest Student-Faculty Ratio, 3rd Highest Graduation Rate
Odessa College	Odessa, TX	2-year, public	Less than one- and one- but less than two-year certificates; associate's degree	Lowest Net Price, Lowest Student-Faculty Ratio, 2nd Most Program Variety, 2nd Highest Graduation Rate
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin	Odessa, TX	4-year, public	Bachelor's and master's degrees	Highest Graduation Rate, 3rd Most program Variety, 3rd Lowest Net Price, 3rd Lowest Student-Faculty Ratio