Marla Blount-Adams, Chief Financial Officer, Pathway Vocational Academy | LinkedIn
Marla Blount-Adams, Chief Financial Officer, Pathway Vocational Academy | LinkedIn
Data shows that students paid $5,967 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, less than the $224 charged for the previous school year.
Among the five institutions in the county, the Pathway Vocational Academy stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $16,650. Lamar University followed with an average of $8,888 per year. Lamar State College-Port Arthur students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $1,832.
At the time, a total of $15.8 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Jefferson County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $5 million.
Currently there are five higher education institutions in Jefferson County, including Lamar Institute of Technology, Pathway Vocational Academy, and Lamar University.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar State College-Port Arthur | 171 | $1,149,483 | $6,722 | 119 | $302,127 | $2,539 |
| Lamar University | 1,205 | $12,705,757 | $10,544 | 594 | $3,744,379 | $6,304 |
| Pathway Vocational Academy | 39 | $141,632 | $3,632 | 34 | $191,210 | $5,624 |
| Texas Healthtech Institute | 28 | $153,401 | $5,479 | 32 | $234,215 | $7,319 |
| Lamar Institute of Technology | 289 | $1,615,915 | $5,591 | 91 | $570,351 | $6,268 |
Alerts Sign-up