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Key Takeaways
Best cloud computing degree programs: UT Dallas, U of North Texas, U of Texas at Arlington
Ranked by graduation rates, program outcomes, and institutional quality
Tuition ranges from $768 to $57,130/year
Houston Community College offers the most affordable option at $2,904/yr
Cloud Computing degree programs available: 23 associate's, 23 master's, 3 doctoral in Texas
From community college pathways to advanced research degrees
26 online cloud computing degree programs in Texas
Flexible scheduling for working professionals
Texas community college transfer can save 40-60% on total degree costs
23 associate's programs provide transfer pathways to bachelor's degrees
Education Commission of the States
Major employers: Dell, Oracle, AT&T, Texas Instruments
Tech hubs in Austin and Dallas
Hakia Research 2026
Cloud Computing degree programs near 125+ cities across Texas
Search by city to find programs within 200 miles of your location
Updated July 13, 2026
How we ranked Texas Cloud Computing programs
We rank 74 accredited cloud computing programs in Texas using IPEDS 2024 institutional data, BLS OEWS 2024 state salary data, and College Scorecard outcomes. A 4-factor weighted composite is normalized to a 0–100 score. Schools cannot pay for placement; rankings are produced algorithmically.
Are Cloud Computing Degree Programs in Texas Worth It?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2024
Cloud Computing Degree Rankings in Texas
Compare the top-ranked Cloud Computing programs in Texas by degree level. Tuition, graduation rate, and Hakia Score for every accredited program.
Best Associate's Cloud Computing Programs in Texas
Program Landscape
Texas offers 23 accredited associate's degree programs in cloud computing, providing an affordable entry point into the technology field. The top-ranked programs include Houston Community College, Austin Community College ..., Lone Star College System, which combine rigorous technical curriculum with practical skills training.
Costs & Value
Community colleges in Texas offer these two-year programs at an average cost of $6,971/yr, significantly less than four-year university tuition. Students completing associate's degrees can pursue entry-level technical positions and transfer opportunities, with entry-level salaries averaging $63,311 in Texas.
Career Pathways
Many programs feature guaranteed transfer agreements with Texas's public universities, allowing students to complete their first two years at reduced cost before transferring to complete a bachelor's degree. The Austin, Dallas, Houston areas offer particularly strong job markets for associate's degree holders, with employers like Dell, Oracle, AT&T hiring for technical support, junior development, and IT specialist positions.
Curriculum & Specializations
Programs typically include coursework in programming fundamentals, database management, networking basics, and software development. Among cloud computing schools in Texas, these associate's programs offer the best value for students beginning their cloud computing degrees in Texas.
Collin County Community College District
Cloud Computing Degree Costs & Tuition in Texas
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average in-state tuition | $11,398/year |
| Average out-of-state tuition | $28,495/year |
| Community college tuition | $2,850/year |
| 4-year savings for residents | $68,388 |
| 2+2 transfer pathway savings | $17,096 |
Source: IPEDS 2024
Financial Aid for Texas Cloud Computing Students
Verdict: Texas Cloud Computing students benefit from the standard Texas state aid stack (TEXAS Grant, TEG, Top 10% Scholarship, UT Austin Texas Advance Commitment) combined with one of the most distinctive US cloud-computing employment positions: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) substantial Austin engineering organization (Oracle relocated HQ to Austin in 2020 with substantial OCI engineering expansion). Plus Apple Austin cloud engineering, Tesla cloud infrastructure (substantial Tesla AI Dojo cloud + Tesla Energy cloud + vehicle-fleet cloud operations), Capital One Plano substantial cloud migration to AWS (one of the largest US enterprise cloud migrations), USAA cloud, AT&T cloud, Dell cloud, plus the substantial Texas oil-and-gas cloud operations (ExxonMobil cloud migration to Azure, SLB cloud, ConocoPhillips cloud, Halliburton cloud). Combined with no state income tax, Texas cloud take-home compensation regularly exceeds equivalent California roles.
TEXAS Grant (up to ~$5,195/year) and Top 10% Scholarship stack with federal Pell. UT Austin's Texas Advance Commitment (free tuition for Pell-eligible Texas residents) makes UT Austin CS-with-cloud-emphasis a strong financial value proposition.
Texas's cloud-computing-specific institutional aid is concentrated at: University of Texas at Austin Computer Science + School of Information with substantial cloud-systems research depth and direct Austin tech industry placement at Oracle Cloud Austin, Apple Austin cloud, Tesla cloud. University of Texas at Dallas with substantial CS-with-cloud-emphasis and DFW enterprise cloud migration industry placement. Texas A&M College Station has growing CS-with-cloud-emphasis. University of Houston has substantial CS programs with Houston oil-and-gas cloud industry placement. University of North Texas (UNT), Texas Tech University, Texas State University (San Marcos) offer affordable CS-with-cloud-emphasis programs. The Texas community college cloud certification + AAS-cloud degree programs at Collin College, Houston Community College (HCC), Austin Community College (ACC), Dallas College, Lone Star College, San Jacinto College provide substantial AWS/Azure/GCP/OCI certification pathways.
Industry-track scholarships and certification reimbursement from Texas-based cloud employers, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Austin engineering (substantial OCI engineering organization at Oracle Austin HQ, Oracle relocated HQ to Austin in 2020 with substantial OCI engineering expansion across compute, storage, database, autonomous services, and OCI Generative AI Service), Apple Austin cloud engineering, Tesla cloud infrastructure (Tesla AI Dojo cloud + Tesla Energy cloud + vehicle-fleet cloud operations), Capital One Plano cloud migration (substantial Capital One enterprise cloud migration to AWS, one of the largest US enterprise cloud migrations with substantial AWS Solutions Architect employment), USAA cloud (San Antonio + Plano), AT&T cloud (Dallas, substantial telecom cloud), Dell cloud (Round Rock, Dell Technologies Cloud), IBM Austin cloud, plus the substantial Texas oil-and-gas cloud (ExxonMobil cloud migration to Microsoft Azure, SLB cloud, ConocoPhillips cloud, Halliburton cloud, Chevron cloud), plus the substantial Texas state cloud (State of Texas Department of Information Resources cloud operations supporting substantial state agency cloud infrastructure), provide additional funding most students don't pursue.
Cloud Computing Degree ROI Calculator, Texas
Use our interactive ROI calculator to estimate your return on investment for a cloud computing degree in Texas. Enter your expected tuition costs, financial aid, and career goals to see projected payback periods and lifetime earnings. The calculator uses current salary data from BLS and tuition data from IPEDS to provide accurate estimates.
Cloud Computing Degree ROI Calculator
Estimate your return on investment for a cloud computing degree
Leave blank to use average cost for selected program type
+1064%
Net gain divided by total investment. ROI above 200% is considered excellent for education investments.
$1,967,896
Your additional lifetime earnings with this degree vs. working without one, minus the total investment.
5 years
Years until your cumulative earnings exceed total investment. Shorter programs often break even faster due to lower opportunity cost.
$147,619
Your starting salary adjusted for local cost of living. This shows real purchasing power compared to a $100K national baseline.
Why does break-even change with program type? Your "total investment" includes both tuition AND opportunity cost (foregone earnings while in school). A 4-year full-time public university (in-state) means 4 years of not earning a salary ($140,000 in opportunity cost). Shorter full-time programs may have higher tuition but lower total investment because you return to the workforce sooner.
Detailed Breakdown
How we calculate your degree ROI using real salary data
Tuition plus opportunity cost (earnings you miss while in school)
Direct cost of the degree program
4 years × $35K/year foregone salary while studying full-time
Projected career earnings starting after graduation, with salary growth
What you'd earn working at $35K/year with 2% annual growth
Median salary for this role in your selected location (BLS 2024)
Your investment's compound annual growth rate (similar to stock market returns)
Data sources: BLS OEWS May 2024, IPEDS 2024. Calculations use median salaries, 3% discount rate, and assume salary growth declines from 6% to 2% over career. Individual results will vary. | Powered by Hakia.com
Cloud Computing Salaries by Metro Area
Median annual salary in Texas metro areas
View data table
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Austin | $127K |
| Dallas | $121K |
| Houston | $115K |
| San Antonio | $109K |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2024
Hakia.com
Top Employers Hiring Cloud Computing Graduates in Texas
Find cloud computing jobs in Texas. These major employers across Texas metro areas are actively hiring cloud computing degree holders. Click employer names to view current job openings.
Cloud Computing Jobs in Austin
TXAustin is the fastest-growing tech hub in the US. Tesla, Oracle, and major tech companies have relocated headquarters here.
Nearby cities: Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Pflugerville, San Marcos, Kyle, Leander
Cloud Computing Jobs in Dallas-Fort Worth
TXDallas-Fort Worth has major corporate headquarters and a growing tech presence. AT&T and Texas Instruments are based here.
Nearby cities: Fort Worth, Plano, Irving, Arlington, Frisco, McKinney, Richardson, Garland
Cloud Computing Jobs in Houston
TXHouston leads in energy tech, healthcare IT, and aerospace. NASA Johnson Space Center drives space technology.
Nearby cities: The Woodlands, Sugar Land, Katy, Pearland, League City, Pasadena, Baytown
Cloud Computing Jobs in San Antonio
TXTexas Tech Industry & Infrastructure
Texas now sits second only to California in tech-job employment and has been the destination of the heaviest tech-employer relocations of the last five years — Oracle, Tesla, HPE, Charles Schwab, and CBRE moved headquarters to the state. No state income tax, business-friendly regulation, and a deep pool of state universities have produced one of the largest tech-graduate markets in the country.
Austin
Austin metro
Capital tech hub anchored by Apple, Tesla, Oracle, Indeed, Dell, IBM, and a dense startup/VC scene. UT Austin's CS program feeds directly into this market; entry-level total comp at named employers commonly clears $150,000.
Dallas-Fort Worth
DFW metro
Largest Texas tech-employer concentration: AT&T, Texas Instruments, Toyota North America IT, Capital One, USAA, Charles Schwab. Strong enterprise/IT, telecom, and financial-services tech markets.
Houston
Houston metro
Energy-tech, healthcare-IT (Texas Medical Center), and growing aerospace/defense software. Rice and University of Houston are the principal CS feeders.
No state income tax. Texas Enterprise Fund and R&D franchise-tax credit are the principal state-level tech incentives.
Texas Regulation Affecting Cloud Computing Graduates
Texas passed comprehensive privacy legislation in 2023, joining a small set of states with binding consumer privacy laws. The state's approach generally favors employers and remains less restrictive than California's, but compliance is now a real engineering concern for any business serving Texas residents at scale.
Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA)
Effective July 2024. Grants Texas consumers rights to access, correct, delete, and opt out of sale of personal data. Applies to businesses conducting business in Texas that process personal data of Texas residents.
Engineers building consumer-facing products serving Texas users must implement opt-out mechanisms, data-access flows, and breach-notification logic.
Read moreTexas SB 8 (Consumer Data Protection)
Part of the broader TDPSA package establishing the Texas AG as the primary privacy enforcement authority.
Texas AG's office actively investigates non-compliance; tech-employer legal/engineering review of privacy posture has expanded since 2024.
Read moreTexas Cybersecurity Act (HB 8)
Establishes data-breach notification requirements and minimum cybersecurity standards for state agencies and contractors.
Engineers working with state/local government tech in Texas operate under these standards; the law shapes hiring criteria for state-IT and gov-tech roles.
Read moreProfessional Engineer Licensure in Texas
Texas is one of the few US states that still actively administers a Software Engineering PE license. ABET-EAC accredited software engineering degrees count toward eligibility; ABET-CAC computer science does not. Most Texas CS graduates do not pursue PE licensure; the credential is most relevant for state agency, infrastructure, or defense-adjacent software work.
Texas licensing boardTexas Financial Aid Programs
Up to ~$5,195/yr for universities, $2,790/yr for community colleges
Texas residents with demonstrated financial need at public colleges/universities
Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG)
State grantUp to ~$3,800/yr
Texas residents at independent (private) Texas colleges/universities
Texas Educational Opportunity Grant (TEOG)
State grantUp to ~$1,860/yr
Texas residents at public two-year community colleges with financial need
Top 10% Scholarship
State scholarship$2,000 per academic year
Texas high-school students graduating in top 10% of class enrolling at participating Texas universities
Transfer Pathways for Texas Cloud Computing Students
Verdict: Texas's Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS) supports cloud-computing-track CS transfer pathways well at the foundational level. Cloud-track transfer admission is substantially more accessible than CS-track admission at most Texas 4-year institutions, often 40-70% for qualified transfer applicants, and Texas community college cloud certification programs are unusually well-aligned with Oracle Cloud Austin, Apple Austin cloud, Capital One Plano cloud migration, USAA cloud, and oil-and-gas cloud operations hiring.
Best Texas community college cloud-computing-track-feeder schools: Collin College (Plano, strong UT Dallas pipeline with refined cloud-computing prerequisite + AWS/Azure/GCP certification programs aligned to Capital One Plano cloud migration to AWS and USAA cloud), Houston Community College (HCC) (largest cloud-track enrollment in Texas, strong University of Houston and oil-and-gas cloud industry placement at ExxonMobil cloud migration to Azure), Austin Community College (ACC) (well-established UT Austin and Texas State articulation, geographically positioned for direct Oracle Cloud Austin, Apple Austin cloud, Tesla cloud exposure during community college years), Dallas College (DFW area, strong UT Dallas and Texas A&M cloud transfer pipelines), Lone Star College (suburban Houston, strong UH and oil-and-gas cloud pipeline), San Jacinto College (Houston metro, strong oil-and-gas cloud industry placement). Each has refined cloud-computing prerequisite + AWS/Azure/GCP/OCI certification programs.
The Collin College → UT Dallas cloud-track pathway is one of the most reliable Texas cloud-computing progressions, Collin is geographically adjacent to Capital One Plano, USAA Plano, plus substantial DFW enterprise cloud migration employers, has refined cloud certification programs, and produces graduates well-placed into substantial DFW enterprise cloud engineering. The ACC → UT Austin CS-with-cloud-emphasis pathway is the substantially-reliable Austin-area cloud optimization with direct Oracle Cloud Austin, Apple Austin cloud, Tesla cloud industry placement. The HCC → University of Houston cloud-track pathway is the most reliable Houston-area cloud progression with substantial oil-and-gas cloud industry placement.
Beyond UT Dallas and UT Austin cloud: Texas A&M College Station has growing CS-with-cloud-emphasis. University of Houston has substantial CS programs with Houston oil-and-gas cloud placement. University of North Texas (UNT) has accessible CS-with-cloud-emphasis at affordable in-state tuition. Texas State University (San Marcos) has growing CS programs with substantial Austin-metro industry placement. Rice University has strong CS programs but transfer admission is genuinely difficult. For Texas cloud-computing-track students, the UT Dallas pathway is the strong DFW enterprise cloud optimization with Capital One/USAA cloud migration placement; UT Austin CS is the Oracle Cloud Austin / Apple Austin cloud / Tesla cloud optimization; UH is the Houston oil-and-gas cloud optimization; Texas A&M is the strong public flagship alternative; Rice is the elite private optimization.
Texas Take-Home Pay Advantage
Source: Texas Department of Revenue
Texas Cloud Computing Job Market & Salary
Verdict: Texas has a substantial and rapidly-growing Cloud Computing engineer job market anchored by Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) substantial Austin engineering organization (Oracle relocated HQ to Austin in 2020 with substantial OCI engineering expansion, OCI is one of the substantial US hyperscaler-tier cloud platforms after Oracle's substantial investment), plus Apple Austin cloud engineering, Tesla cloud infrastructure (Tesla AI Dojo cloud + Tesla Energy cloud + vehicle-fleet cloud operations), Capital One Plano substantial cloud migration to AWS (one of the largest US enterprise cloud migrations), USAA cloud (San Antonio + Plano), AT&T cloud (Dallas), Dell Technologies Cloud (Round Rock), plus the substantial Texas oil-and-gas cloud operations (ExxonMobil substantial cloud migration to Microsoft Azure, one of the larger US energy-industry cloud migrations, SLB cloud, ConocoPhillips cloud, Halliburton cloud, Chevron cloud). Combined with no state income tax, Texas cloud take-home compensation regularly exceeds equivalent California roles.
By metro: Austin averages ~$155,000-$230,000 for cloud engineer roles per Levels.fyi with substantial concentrations at Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Austin engineering (substantial OCI engineering organization across compute, storage, database, autonomous services, OCI Generative AI Service supporting substantial enterprise cloud customers, OCI is one of the substantial US hyperscaler-tier cloud platforms after Oracle's substantial post-2020 investment). Apple Austin cloud engineering (substantial Apple cloud infrastructure engineering supporting Apple's substantial iCloud, App Store, and Apple Services cloud operations). Tesla cloud infrastructure (substantial Tesla AI Dojo cloud, custom cloud infrastructure supporting Tesla's substantial ML training operations, plus Tesla Energy cloud for distributed energy operations, plus vehicle-fleet cloud operations supporting Tesla's substantial connected-vehicle operations). Indeed cloud, IBM Austin cloud, Cisco Austin cloud, plus growing Austin cloud startup ecosystem.
Dallas-Fort Worth averages ~$145,000-$205,000 for cloud engineer roles with Capital One Plano substantial cloud migration to AWS as the substantial employer, Capital One has invested billions of dollars in substantial AWS cloud migration with substantial AWS Solutions Architect employment scale (Capital One was one of the early Fortune-500 enterprises to commit to 100% AWS cloud, with substantial AWS architect and AWS engineering workforce supporting Capital One's substantial banking infrastructure). USAA cloud (substantial San Antonio + Plano AWS and Azure cloud migration). AT&T cloud (substantial telecom cloud operations). Toyota North America IT cloud (Plano). Charles Schwab cloud (Westlake). American Airlines cloud (Fort Worth). Houston averages ~$135,000-$185,000 with ExxonMobil substantial cloud migration to Microsoft Azure as the substantial employer (one of the larger US energy-industry cloud migrations). SLB/Schlumberger cloud, ConocoPhillips cloud, Halliburton cloud, Chevron Houston cloud for oil-and-gas cloud operations. NASA Johnson Space Center cloud (substantial cleared aerospace cloud operations).
Three Texas cloud-computing-specific dynamics: (1) Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Austin engineering is one of the most-distinctive US cloud platform engineering opportunities, OCI is one of the substantial US hyperscaler-tier cloud platforms after Oracle's substantial post-2020 investment, providing genuine non-AWS-Azure-GCP hyperscaler cloud platform engineering employment scale. (2) Capital One Plano's substantial cloud migration to AWS is one of the largest US enterprise cloud migrations, substantial AWS Solutions Architect and AWS engineering employment at exceptional scale with substantially more accessible new-graduate hiring than Bay Area FAANG cloud. (3) Texas oil-and-gas cloud migration is one of the most-overlooked US enterprise cloud markets, ExxonMobil cloud migration to Azure + SLB cloud + ConocoPhillips cloud + Halliburton cloud collectively employ substantial cloud engineering workforces with exceptional career stability through energy-industry cycles. See Cloud Engineer Career Guide and DevOps Engineer Career Guide.
Entry-Level (0-2 yrs)
New graduates and career changers
Senior (8+ yrs)
Technical leads and architects
Online vs On-Campus Cloud Computing Programs in Texas
Online Programs
26 available in Texas
On-Campus Programs
Traditional classroom experience
Compare Cloud Computing Programs in Other States
- Total Programs
- 15
- Median Tuition
- $5,400
- Total Programs
- 14
- Median Tuition
- $6,300
- Total Programs
- 18
- Median Tuition
- $4,500
- Total Programs
- 8
- Median Tuition
- $4,900
- Total Programs
- 127
- Median Tuition
- $1,400
- Total Programs
- 37
- Median Tuition
- $4,600
- Total Programs
- 100
- Median Tuition
- $7,100
- Total Programs
- 30
- Median Tuition
- $39,400
Cloud Computing Degree Programs in Texas: FAQ
What are the best cloud computing degree programs in Texas?
How much do cloud computing degree programs cost in Texas?
What salary can cloud computing degree graduates earn in Texas?
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What financial aid is available for cloud computing degree students in Texas?
Data Sources
Institutional characteristics, completions, graduation rates
Texas salary and employment data
Program details and admissions information
Last Updated: June 26, 2026. Rankings based on IPEDS 2024 data. Salary data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
Taylor Rupe
Co-founder & Editor (B.S. Computer Science, Oregon State • B.A. Psychology, University of Washington)
Taylor combines technical expertise in computer science with a deep understanding of human behavior and learning. His dual background drives Hakia's mission: leveraging technology to build authoritative educational resources that help people make better decisions about their academic and career paths.