South Plains College

Learn about South Plains College in Levelland, TX. Read about its admission info, financial aid, and degree programs to make an informed education decision.

About South Plains College

South Plains College (SPC) is a community college that was founded in 1957. Its main campus is seated on the West Texas South Plains, located in the community of Levelland, TX, approximately 45 miles from Lubbock, TX and 140 miles from Amarillo, TX.

Throughout the years SPC has expanded from 1 main campus and now includes 2 extension centers in Lubbock and 3 additional extension centers located in the Texas towns of Plainview, Muleshoe, and Denver City. This expansion has created a service area of 15 Texas counties.

Academics

SPC offers technical training programs for students who want to enter the workforce, as well as academic transfer courses for students who plan to move to a 4-year university to obtain a bachelor's degree. Twenty-nine of the available SPC technical programs have a combined workforce placement rate of 95.1% for graduates. In addition, almost half of SPC students indicate that they are planning to earn credits in order to transfer to another college or university. The 2 most popular 4-year university choices among these students are Texas Tech University and West Texas A&M University.

Programs available to SPC students are offered through 3 divisions: Arts and Sciences, Health Occupations, and Technical Education. In addition to associate's degree and certificate programs offered through these divisions, SPC offers workforce development courses and continuing education courses. Many of the traditional class offerings are also available as online courses through SPC's distance education program.

Admissions

South Plains College has an open admission policy for prospective students. However, there is still a required application process, which includes submitting an application, an official high school transcript or official GED, and either SAT or ACT scores. In addition, even students who do not plan to live on campus must show proof of a meningitis vaccination.

The average age of students enrolled at SPC is 22.5. Many of these students, an estimated 68%, are also first-generation college students. In addition, the student body is almost equally divided between male and female, with 45% males and 55% females.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Tuition costs vary by campus location and residency. There are 3 different residency categories: in-district, out-of-district, and non-resident. In-district residents are those that reside in Hockley County or Whiteface ISD. In fall of 2012, in-district tuition costs were $997 for 12 semester hours at the main Levelland campus. Out-of-district residents are those who live outside of the Hockley County area, but still live in Texas. Levelland campus tuition for out-of-district residents was $1,261 for 12 semester hours in fall of 2012. Finally, non-residents are those students who live outside the state of Texas; Levelland campus tuition for these students was $1,453 for 12 semester hours.

Financial aid options range from federal grants to student loans. SPC offers a payment plan option that allows students to make payment installments on tuition and fees.

SOUTH PLAINS COLLEGE QUICK FACTS
School Type	Public, 2-year**
Degrees Offered	Associate's, certificate programs**
Religious Affiliation	None**
Academic Calendar	Semester***
School Setting	Town**
Student Body	In Fall 2011: 10,482**
Student Housing	9 residence halls; 1 student housing apartment Students attending for the first time must show proof of a meningitis vaccination.*
ACADEMICS
Schools and Programs	3 divisions offering more than 100 programs*
Student-Faculty Ratio	26-to-1**
Most Popular Fields of Study by Degree Level (Number of Recipients)	In 2010 - 2011: Associate's: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies (251)**
Overall Graduation Rates	15%**
ADMISSIONS
Admission Rate	Open admission policy as of Fall 2012**
Entering Class Size in Fall 2010	1,047 in Fall 2010***
First-Year Retention Rates	57% for full-time and 76% for part-time students**
Undergraduate Application Due Date	Open admission policy*
Decision Notification Date	Decision notification generally takes 2 weeks from date of application*
TUITION & FINANCIAL AID
Tuition	In Fall 2012: In-district residents pay $140 per semester hour, out-of-district residents pay $184 per semester hour, non-residents pay $472 per semester hour Rates include tuition and institutional fees for the main Levelland campus*
Financial Aid Sources Available (Percent of Students Receiving it)	In 2010: federal grants (61%), Pell grants (61%), other federal grants (36%), state and local grants/scholarships (21%), institutional grants/scholarships (24%), federal loans (26%)**
Percent of Students Receiving Some Form of Aid	79% in the 2010 - 2011 academic year**

Sources: *South Plains College, **College Navigator, National Center for Education Statistics, ***IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics.

School Contact Information

Address: South Plains College, Admissions and Records Office, 1401 South College Avenue, Levelland, TX 79336
Phone: (806) 894-2374
Website: www.southplainscollege.edu