College of the Mainland — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
College of the Mainland is a public community college located in Texas City that offers a broad range of associate degrees and technical programs. The institution is known for its strong focus on workforce development, providing specialized training for high-demand industries such as process technology, healthcare, and public safety. By maintaining close partnerships with regional employers, the college ensures that its curriculum remains relevant and effective for job seekers. With an emphasis on affordability and personalized support, College of the Mainland serves as an essential resource for students looking to gain practical skills and achieve their career goals efficiently.
College of the Mainland Acceptance Rate
Admission at College of the Mainland is inclusive by design: 100% of applicants who meet basic eligibility are accepted.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in — worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Open Enrollment
A GPA a bit under the average isn't disqualifying at this tier — a solid test score or clear leadership record can offset it.
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
College of the Mainland Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
College of the Mainland follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
COM reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
💡 The scholarship deadline (FAFSA Priority: 2026/03/15) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Check Your Admission Chances at COM
Admission Chance Predictor
Built from College of the Mainland's own verified admissions data — adjust the sliders below
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
⚠️ Note: Predicting based on regional averages as this institution does not publicly report full score datasets.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
College of the Mainland (COM) Test Requirements
Scores aren't just a formality at COM — landing within or above the 2026 admitted class's middle 50% keeps you fully competitive, even where submission is optional.
Can I Get Into COM Without SAT or ACT?
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for COM
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
Getting into COM is the easy part — what matters next is using placement testing, advising, and available resources to set up a strong first year.
COM's Petrochemical Process Technology AAS is built specifically for the Operator profession in the petrochemical industry, guided by an advisory committee of education and regional industry representatives who regularly review and direct the curriculum - a direct response to COM's location in the Texas City/Houston Ship Channel petrochemical corridor. Applicants should name specific regional plants or the "Operator" career path explicitly, and understand that a "C" or better in every prescribed course (not just an overall 2.0 GPA) is required for degree eligibility.
Graduating high school seniors (including GED and homeschool students aged 17-19) who live in Texas City, La Marque, Hitchcock, or Santa Fe are eligible for tuition-free attendance through the Opening Doors Promise Scholarship, with no income or GPA requirement - only a completed FAFSA. Applicants from these specific communities should apply for this by name rather than relying on general financial aid, since it's a residency-based local program, not a general scholarship search result.
COM requires prospective students to attend a mandatory program information session before they can even receive a selective-admission program application (Nursing, and others) - this is a hard gate, not a recommendation, for at least some programs, though it's "highly recommended" even where not required. Applicants should confirm directly whether their target program requires this session and schedule it well before the application window, since skipping it can mean the application itself is unavailable.
COM's AAS Nursing admission uses a point system that heavily weights pre-requisite-course GPA (not overall GPA) alongside HESI A2 scores and Education Points for prior degrees/certificates on file with the Admissions Department - degrees not officially on file receive no points even if genuinely held. Applicants should retake any weak pre-requisite grade before applying (the program explicitly allows this) and verify all prior degrees are logged with Admissions well before submitting a ranking application.
A specific and easy-to-miss failure at COM is having a genuine prior degree or credential not counted in the Nursing program's point-based ranking simply because it isn't on file with the Admissions Department - the program's own guidelines state explicitly that no points are awarded for degrees that aren't officially logged, meaning a qualified applicant with an unrecorded bachelor's or associate degree can be ranked as if they don't have it at all. Confirm every prior credential is on file well before the ranking application deadline, not after.
COM Profile
Is a COM Degree Worth It?
At $8,014/year against a $39,639 median graduate salary, COM is worth weighing against your specific program and financial situation — the numbers below give you a real basis for that decision.
Admitted students' families report a median household income around $55,600, and graduates see a 4.56% unemployment rate.
How much does a degree from COM Cost?
Listed tuition runs $8,014/year at COM; factor in Pell and federal grant aid and most students land closer to $1,975.
At COM, 27.6% receive a Pell Grant and 3.4% carry federal loans. Filing FAFSA early and naming COM on it improves your shot at both.
How much does a COM Graduate earn?
Ten years out from enrollment, COM graduates report a median income of $39,639, somewhat below the U.S. median graduate income of $40,595.
Degree Programs at COM
Associate Degree Programs
UG Certificate or Diploma Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About COM Admissions
College of the Mainland graduates earn a lower median salary of $39,639/year, especially outside technical fields.
Tuition at College of the Mainland is relatively affordable, around $8,014/year.
27.6% of College of the Mainland students get a Pell Grant. Your odds depend mostly on household income — filing FAFSA early still helps maximize what you're offered.
College of the Mainland follows Rolling Admissions — applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
For priority financial aid consideration, get your FAFSA in before FAFSA Priority: 2026/03/15 — that's College of the Mainland's scholarship priority date.
Transferring in is a well-trodden path here. Line up your transcripts, recommendations, and a strong personal statement before applying.
The biggest levers are academic performance, a clear extracurricular focus, and essays that stand out — plus a solid test score where the school considers one.
