Learning in Lubbock
The Lubbock area is home to more than 52,000 college students and nearly 13,200 college graduates annually, a number that continues to grow each year.
With four universities and one of the state’s strongest community colleges, there is a continual flow of eager and well-trained individuals entering the workforce. The labor force in Lubbock is distributed over a wide variety of industries and contains a diverse set of skills and knowledge.
Colleges & Universities
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, a Tier One Carnegie Designated University, is home to more than 37,010 undergraduate and graduate students. New private and industry partnerships are offering unparalleled research opportunities in a variety of areas including sustainable energy, wind power, crop science and food safety. Texas Tech is world-renowned for its Wind Science and Engineering Research Center and currently offers the only Ph.D. program in Wind Science and Engineering in the U.S. As Texas Tech moves toward its goal of becoming the state’s next national research university, the opportunities for students, faculty and research partners are endless. The Whitacre College of Engineering received two multi-million dollar donations from major oil & gas companies. The university was also awarded a National Research University Designation resulting in an additional $8 to $10 million in research funding annually. The university is home to an award-winning chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, a national academic honorary society. From the arts to engineering, and the humanities to the physical sciences, Texas Tech offers 150 undergraduate majors, 100 Master’s Degrees and 50 Doctoral programs in 13 colleges and hosts 60 research centers and institutes. Texas Tech is also home to the Texas Tech University School of Law and a medical school, the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, including groundbreaking research & clinical trials at the school’s state-of-the-art cancer center.
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, high quality education, and unparalleled research opportunities to better prepare future healthcare providers. Since 1969, the Health Sciences Center not only teaches the next generation of healthcare professionals, but also provides West Texas with world-class patient care. Sixty-nine programs and five schools are housed within TTUHSC which span across West Texas: TTU School of Medicine, School of Nursing, School of Health Professions, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. TTUHSC is home to over 5,000 students in Lubbock, Abilene, Amarillo, Midland, Fort Worth, and Odessa.
Lubbock Christian University
Established in 1957 by members of the Churches of Christ, Lubbock Christian University’s (LCU) mission is to teach students the spiritual dimension of life, provide a quality education and to support a system of values for living and service to family, community and church. With more than 70 academic programs covering a broad spectrum of disciplines, including 55 undergraduate majors, more than 14 graduate degrees, a Scholars Colloquium and an Honors College, LCU has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a Top 20 Comprehensive College in the Western Region. In addition to their on-campus curriculum, LCU caters to the digital student by offering a variety of online programs.
Wayland Baptist University
Wayland Baptist University (WBU) began in 1908 as the dream of pioneers who respected the life-altering value of education. Now the oldest university in continuous existence on the High Plains of Texas, WBU reaffirms that commitment every day through a distinctive combination of offerings. With four 11-week terms per year, classes are very flexible, including evening, weekend, online and hybrid instruction. WBU offers more than 40 undergraduate majors, more than 12 pre-professional programs and nine graduate programs.
South Plains College
Established in 1958, South Plains College (SPC) functions as a comprehensive, two-year community college that serves the greater South Plains area of Texas with innovative, educational programs that span the arts and sciences, technical education, continuing education and workforce development. SPC offers more than 100 programs of study and career programs.
South Plains College has recently joined a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Lubbock and LEDA as the first step in the process of adding a Lubbock Downtown Center. Read more.
| Institution | Fall 2019 Enrollment |
|---|---|
| Texas Tech University | 38,803 |
| Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (Lubbock Campus) | 5,295 |
| South Plains College (includes Levelland Campus) | 9,196 |
| Wayland Baptist University (Lubbock Campus) | 496 |
| Lubbock Christian University | 1,770 |
| TOTAL | 55,560 |
School Districts
Lubbock Independent School District
Lubbock Independent School District (LISD) currently has 57 campuses in the Lubbock area and is built on a tradition of excellence. This includes the qualification of all four high schools for the State Academic Decathlon in 2009 as well as having 10 students named as National Merit Semifinalists in 2010. LISD recently invested more than $10 million in technology to augment all areas of instruction throughout all of its campuses. LISD also has the only orchestra program and International Baccalaureate Diploma programs on the South Plains.
Frenship Independent School District
Frenship Independent School District (FISD) currently has 11 campuses and boasts the highest graduation rate in the area with 97.6 percent. Frenship ISD also believes in preparing students to be competitive in post secondary education by giving them the skills needed to successfully complete college entrance exams. In fact, more than 106 hours of dual credit courses are currently offered at Frenship High School.
Lubbock-Cooper Independent School District
Lubbock-Cooper Independent School District (LCISD) currently has six campuses and is one of the fastest growing school districts within the Lubbock area. Despite this, Lubbock-Cooper prides itself on having one of the lowest teacher turnover rates in the area at 8.7 percent. The district is dedicated to maintaining a safe and orderly learning environment for all of its students. Lubbock-Cooper was also a recognized district by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) scores in 2011.
Shallowater Independent School District
Shallowater Independent School District is made up of four campuses. The district has also earned an “A” on the Texas Accountability rating system. Shallowater ISD also has a student /teacher ratio of 17 to 1 as well as one of the highest teacher experience averages in the area with 14.8 years. In addition, Shallowater High School has been awarded a bronze medal for the past several years and is listed as a Top High School by U.S. News and World Report.
Roosevelt Independent School District
Roosevelt Independent School District (RISD) has three campuses and touts small school advantages that are not available in other districts. RISD boasts one of the lowest teacher to student percentages in the area with 11.7 percent. Numerous dual credit & career and technical education opportunities are available to assist our students beyond their K-12 years. All RISD students are encouraged to embrace excellence, character and wisdom in order to achieve all academic goals.
New Deal Independent School District
New Deal Independent School District (NDISD) has three campuses all of which are fully accredited by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The district serves approximately 700 students and provides a balanced and challenging curriculum that includes a rigorous and well-rounded education through advanced placement, concurrent college enrollment through dual credit classes, tech prep college courses, engineering courses, special education, career and technology education, gifted and talented programs, and English as a Second Language programs. New Deal High School is also an accredited T-STEM Academy, which includes rigorous academics for the advancement in the areas of math, science, and technology. NDISD’s State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) results are typically above the state average and the district has received several Gold Performance Awards from the Texas Education Agency.
Idalou Independent School District
Idalou ISD includes Idalou Elementary School, Idalou Middle School, and Idalou High School. Idalou ISD has a low student to teacher ratio at 13:1 to create a great learning environment where student receive the personalized instruction they need. Idalou ISD teachers have an average of 16.7 years teaching experience and a very low teacher turnover rate so that students receive instruction from teachers they know and trust. Idalou ISD remodeled facilities in 2009-2010 to show the investment the district has in providing the best facilities for the students.
Slaton Independent School District
Slaton Independent School District (SISD) is home to the Tigers & Tigerettes, The Mighty Tiger Band, The State and National Award winning AG program, The Outstanding K-8 QUEST program for GT Tigers, a State Award Winning Cosmetology program, the State-of the-Art Culinary Suite, the Slaton College & Career High School featuring Dual Credit Academic and Certification offerings to all high achieving students, and the best Homecoming Parade anywhere! We do all of this by serving one tiger at a time – all day – everyday. We love our kids!
Educational Statistics
The share of Lubbock population enrolled in some level of educational program is similar to the U.S., from pre-schoool through high school. Because of the presence of Texas Tech University, Lubbock Christian University and other educational institutions, enrollment in higher education programs is roughly double the statewide and national rates.
Did you know almost a quarter of all educators in Lubbock have a master’s degree?
| Lubbock, TX (city) | Lubbock County, TX | Lubbock, TX Metro | Texas | USA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median Age | 31.33 | 32.04 | 32.22 | 35.85 | 39.23 |
| Environics Analytics, 1.1.23 | Benchmark: USA |