Lone Star College
Two-year aviation degree at Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport.
Costs checkedChecked November 13, 2026 by Samip Shah, CFI, CFII, AGI
At a glance
- An associate's degree with flight training, at a public college.
- Graduates can reach the airline minimum at 1,250 hours instead of 1,500.
- 2 years all-in: $118,273 in-state, $130,393 out-of-state.
Basics
| Degree | Associate's (AAS), two years |
|---|---|
| School | Public |
| Airline minimum | 1,250 hours (restricted ATP) |
| Location | Conroe, TX |
What it costs
Tuition and room & board for 2 years, plus the whole program's flight fees, which are billed on top of tuition. Tuition changes yearly.
- Tuition (in-state)
- $6,660
- $3,330/yr × 22026-27Source
- In-district: $1,665 for 15 credit hours a semester on Lone Star's tuition chart, two semesters. Texas residents outside the district pay $3,735 a semester.
- Tuition (out-of-state)
- $18,780
- $9,390/yr × 22026-27Source
- Out-of-state: $4,695 for 15 credit hours a semester, two semesters.
- Flight training (whole program)
- $111,613
- 2026-27Source
- Lone Star's own estimated total for five flight courses: Private $16,050.16, Instrument $17,963.34, Intermediate $20,727.48, Commercial with the multi-engine rating $35,503.10, and Instructor (CFI and CFII) $21,369.18. Each course prices the FAA minimum plus the average additional hours students fly, and knowledge test fees; Lone Star calls the totals an average, not a constant. A $3,000 flight account deposit is due before the program starts. The page carries no academic year; these are the prices posted as of November 13, 2026.
- All-in (in-state)
- $118,273
Airport
Conroe-North Houston Regional KCXO
Home field · 2 runways · longest 7,501 ft · asphalt
Aerial imagery: USDA NAIP imagery via the USGS National Map
Weather
What counts as a flyable day
Clouds no lower than 3,000 feet and visibility of 5 miles or more (VFR weather) for at least half the hours between 9 am and 5 pm. Hourly observations from the airport's own weather station, 2016 to 2025. Source: Iowa Environmental Mesonet ASOS archive, Iowa State University.
Paying for it
Two ways to cover $118,273.
Win what you can first, then borrow only what is left.
- Money you keepScholarships you could apply for43 open to anyone. Top awards reach $22,200.No Texas-only awards in the directory yet.
- 43
- Money you pay backLenders that cover $118,273Four of the six lenders in our comparison lend this much. That is whether a loan this size is on offer, not whether you would be approved.
- 4 of 6
In the app
Track your flight training at Lone Star.
Enter the aircraft and instructor rates from Lone Star College's flight program when you set up PilotBound, and the app tracks every flight you log against the projection, rating by rating.
Scan to download on your iPhone
Questions
How much does an aviation degree at Lone Star College cost?
Summing Lone Star College's own published tuition, room and board, and flight fees over 2 years, PilotBound estimates about $118,273 all in for an in-state student and $130,393 out of state. That is a sum of the school's published figures, not the school's own quoted package price, and flight fees are billed pay-as-you-go on top of tuition rather than as a fixed bill.
How much are flight fees at Lone Star College?
Lone Star College publishes about $111,613 for the whole flight sequence its 2-year associate's degree trains (2026-27), separate from and on top of tuition. Flight fees move with your pace and the hours you actually fly, which is why they are the least predictable line in a collegiate aviation budget.
What is tuition at Lone Star College?
Lone Star College publishes about $3,330 per year in-state and $9,390 out of state for 2026-27. Over the 2-year program that is roughly $6,660 versus $18,780, before room and board and before any flight fees. Residency is usually the largest single lever on a collegiate aviation budget.
Does an aviation degree from Lone Star College lower the airline hour requirement?
Yes. Lone Star College's 2-year associate's aviation degree is a qualifying degree under 14 CFR 61.160, which lets you hold a restricted ATP at 1,250 hours instead of the standard 1,500. That is the concrete thing the degree buys beyond the credential itself, and it is worth weighing against the tuition and room and board a non-degree path does not carry.
Sources
Tuition, room & board and flight fees are Lone Star College's own published figures, summed by PilotBound. Flight fees are pay-as-you-go and vary with a student's pace. The 1,250-hour airline minimum comes from a qualifying degree under 14 CFR 61.160. PilotBound is not affiliated with Lone Star College. Disclaimer & removal policy.
Primary sources: lonestar.edu· lonestar.edu· lonestar.edu· lonestar.edu
Plan the money before you commit.
A program price only makes sense next to what each rating costs on its own, what scholarships exist, and what borrowing actually looks like.
What each rating costs
Per-rating ranges, with the fees most quotes leave out.
Scholarships first
Verified flight training scholarships. Every scholarship dollar is a dollar you never finance.
If you borrow
Compare lenders and see the real monthly payment before you sign.