Public
Accredited · Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Pasadena, Texas
San Jacinto Community College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
$14,990Annual Cost
$43,062Grad Salary
30.3%Pell Grant
Selectivity
Open Enrollment
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
SAT Middle 50%
-40–30
Avg Net Price
$7,540
Need-Based Aid
30.3% receive Pell
San Jacinto Community College serves the Houston area with five locations. Established in 1961, it offers maritime, petrochemical and healthcare programs.
The college features a 42-acre Maritime Technology Center. San Jacinto maintains strong ties to the Port of Houston industries.
San Jacinto Community College Acceptance Rate
San Jacinto Community College (San Jacinto College) maintains an inclusive admission policy. With an acceptance rate of 100%, the institution prioritizes accessibility and opportunity for all qualified students.
Admissions Guidelines
- Inclusive Enrollment: Emphasis is placed on meeting basic eligibility and high school completion.
- Launchpad Policy: Ideal for students looking to build a GPA for future transfer or career certification.
Selectivity at a Glance
Open Enrollment
Selectivity scale: Open Enrollment — rate not reported
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
If your GPA is slightly below the institutional average, you can remain competitive by scoring well on standardized tests and showcasing leadership in co-curricular activities.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at San Jacinto College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on San Jacinto Community College's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
⚠️ 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.
San Jacinto Community College (San Jacinto College) Test Requirements
In this competitive environment, standardized scores are no longer elective; they serve as a critical standardized benchmark to validate high school GPA and course rigor. Applicants should aim for scores within or above the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class to remain viable in the Holistic Review process. At institutions that remain test-optional, submitting a high-percentile score is still the primary strategy for securing merit-based scholarships and distinguishing one's profile in a high-volume applicant pool.
Can I Get Into San Jacinto College Without SAT or ACT?
The admission test score (SAT/ACT) policy for San Jacinto Community College is unknown. But it is better to submit the test score if you have performed well in the test. It gives an extra opportunity to showcase your skills and competencies and hence will improve your chances of admission. Normally, students may appear in the test 4 to 5 times to improve their scores. But if your score is not up to the mark and is less than the national or state average, then it is better not to submit the score as it will impact negatively.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for San Jacinto College
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
San Jacinto College provides an open gateway to higher education. Success here is about utilizing resources and planning your long-term academic or career trajectory.
The LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy, and Technology Is a Credential Gateway Into Houston's Industrial Corridor - Not a Generic Workforce Program
San Jacinto College operates the $60 million LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy, and Technology (CPET) - a 151,000 sq. ft. facility purpose-built to train the workforce for the largest petrochemical complex in the United States, located immediately adjacent to the college's East Harris County campuses. Programs in Process Technology, Instrumentation/Analyzer Technology, Electrical Technology, Non-Destructive Testing, Environmental Health and Safety Technology, and Welding are co-designed with an industry advisory council of plant managers and executives from companies including LyondellBasell, INEOS, Emerson, Dow, Covestro, and Eaton. Students train on live equipment - including a working glycol distillation unit and 31 specialized labs replicating actual refinery environments - and are placed into entry-level and incumbent worker pipelines with 90 industries and 130 plants in the region. For students targeting the energy sector, CPET credentials carry direct employer recognition that generic technical certificates do not.
Houston GPS Makes Transfer Planning Structural From Day One - Declare Your University Target in the First Semester
San Jacinto College is a founding partner in Houston Guided Pathways to Success (Houston GPS), a regional transfer initiative that connects community college students to specific degree maps at partner universities including the University of Houston system, Texas State, and others. Houston GPS provides proactive advisors, degree maps that show exactly which San Jac courses transfer to which university degree requirements, and structured schedules designed around working students. The critical action is declaring a transfer target university in the first semester - not after 30 hours of coursework - so every course chosen from the beginning maps cleanly to the specific bachelor's degree program at the intended destination. San Jacinto students who use Houston GPS pathways graduate with fewer excess credits and less debt than students who plan informally; the degree maps are specific enough to tell a student taking Biology 1406 vs. 1408 which version transfers for pre-nursing vs. pre-medicine at their target school.
Selective Health Sciences Programs Operate Entirely Outside Open Enrollment - Understand the Competitive Ranking System Early
San Jacinto's nursing and allied health programs are among the most sought-after in Greater Houston, but they operate on separate competitive admissions with ranking formulas, prerequisite GPA cutoffs, and application cycles that are entirely independent of the college's open-enrollment status. The Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program ranks applicants using a formula that weights prerequisite GPA, number of degree-plan courses completed, TEAS exam scores, and accumulated review points - meaning a student who applies unsuccessfully in one cycle can bank review points toward the next. The RN-to-BSN program (one of San Jac's four bachelor's degrees, fully online, designed for working RNs) has its own additional admission requirements including active Texas RN licensure and current nursing employment. Students aiming for any health sciences pathway should identify their target program in the first semester, download the current prerequisite list, and treat every prerequisite GPA point as a ranking asset from day one.
San Jac's Bachelor's Degrees and Biotechnology Partnerships Open Non-Transfer Workforce Tracks to Four-Year Credentials
San Jacinto College now offers four bachelor's degrees designed for working professionals already holding relevant associate degrees: the RN-to-BSN (registered nurses with an ADN), Bachelor of Applied Science in Education with Early Childhood emphasis (paraeducators/early childhood educators with an AAS), Bachelor of Applied Science in Cybersecurity, and a fourth program launched in spring 2026. These are not transfer pathways - they are terminal degrees earned entirely at San Jac, at community college tuition rates, in cohort-based formats designed for employed adults. Additionally, San Jac's Center for Biotechnology formalized a 2023 partnership with the National Institute for Biomanufacturing Research and Training (NIBRT), launching onboarding programs for biomanufacturing technicians starting in 2024 - positioning San Jac as a credentialing hub for the biomanufacturing sector expanding in the Houston region alongside petrochemicals.
Expert Insight:
The most persistent failure pattern at San Jacinto involves students who enroll with a transfer goal - typically the University of Houston or Texas A&M - and select courses based on general transferability rather than a specific degree plan at a specific university. "It transfers to UH" is not the same as "it applies toward the Mechanical Engineering degree plan at UH." San Jac's course equivalency guides and Houston GPS degree maps make program-specific planning possible from semester one, but students who never meet with a transfer specialist or declare their university and major target early frequently arrive at their transfer application with 18 credits that apply nowhere specific, forcing them to take additional semesters. With five campuses and rolling open enrollment, there is no structural urgency to plan early - which is exactly why the students who don't plan early are the ones who end up spending an extra year at the college.
San Jacinto College Profile
Full Name
San Jacinto Community College (San Jacinto College)
City
Pasadena
State
Texas
ZIP Code
77505
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Is a San Jacinto College Degree Worth It?
Getting into San Jacinto College can be a great opportunity for many students. It is a prestigious institution known for its strong programs. However, whether it is worth it depends on your personal and academic goals, as well as your financial situation. San Jacinto College offers a rigorous academic environment and access to cutting-edge research, but it may not be the best fit for everyone. It's important to consider factors such as cost, location, and specific academic programs when making this decision.
Please note that the average household income of the admitted students at San Jacinto College is $61,500 and the graduate unemployment rate is 4.31%.
How much does a degree from San Jacinto College Cost?
The average annual cost of the degree at San Jacinto Community College is $14,990. As most of the students receive Pell Grants and Federal Grants the average annual net price a student has to pay at San Jacinto Community College is $7,540.
30.3% of the students are receiving Pell Grant and 2.3 percent are receiving Federal Grants. So it is a better choice to go to San Jacinto College and apply for PELL or federal loan grants.
At San Jacinto Community College, you will have no problem receiving any scholarship from the federal government. Fill in the FAFSA application form at the earliest and enlist San Jacinto College as your choice in the form.
How much does a San Jacinto College Graduate earn?
The average annual salary of the graduate after 4–6 years of graduation is $43,062. An average San Jacinto College graduate makes this much after 10 years of enrollment (4–6 years after graduation).
The average annual income of a graduate in the United States is $40,595.
Degree Programs at San Jacinto College
Associate Degree Programs
Full list of all degree programs offered by San Jacinto Community College →
Frequently Asked Questions About San Jacinto College Admissions
Graduates of this university typically earn a lower salary, $43,062 annually, especially in non-technical fields.
The tuition fee at this university is relatively low, around $14,990 per year, making it more affordable for many students.
30.3% of students receive a Pell Grant at this institution. Your chances of need-based aid are moderate and depend primarily on your household income. Filing FAFSA early significantly improves your chances of receiving the maximum available grant amount.
Yes, many students successfully transfer each year. Be prepared with your academic transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement to make your application competitive.
To improve your chances, focus on excelling academically, building a strong extracurricular profile, and submitting standout essays. High SAT/ACT scores are also crucial for competitive admissions.