Information technology is one of the most in-demand fields of the 21st century, and a career in IT is considered both prestigious and well-paid. As a result, more and more young people are striving to receive a quality education in this field. Today, we’ll talk about Dallas College, an institution that offers opportunities to study IT. Learn more about its history and development on dallas-future.com.
History of Establishment
The college was founded in 1965 as the Dallas County Junior College District. Just a year later, the first campus, El Centro College, opened in downtown Dallas.
It’s worth noting that the founder of the institution was Dr. Bill J. Priest, who began leading the college in 1981.
Over the years, the institution expanded and grew. In the 1970s, several new colleges were opened — Eastfield College, Mountain View College, Richland College, Cedar Valley College, North Lake College, and Brookhaven College. Today, these colleges operate as campuses of Dallas College.
In 2020, the institution underwent a major transformation — the merger of seven colleges into a single Dallas College with multiple campuses. This change eliminated the requirement for students to complete 25% of their credits at one campus and simplified graduation requirements.
IT Education at Dallas College
As you’ve probably realized, Dallas College offers quality IT education. Starting in 2025, the institution launched a new bachelor’s degree program in Applied Technology in Software Development, with a focus on Data Analytics and Machine Learning — two of the most promising areas in IT.
In the 2024–2025 academic year, more than 103,000 students studied at Dallas College, pursuing a wide range of IT programs at the certificate, associate, and bachelor’s levels. Students have the option to study on-campus or online, making education flexible and accessible. Tuition for in-county students is approximately $99 per credit hour, which is considerably more affordable compared to universities. In total, during 2024–2025, the college issued more than 19,000 educational certificates in IT and related fields.
Importantly, Dallas College continues to strengthen partnerships with universities such as Texas State University, allowing students to access higher education opportunities directly through the college.
Across Dallas, several innovation centers have also been established — such as the Lancaster Innovation Center and the Workforce Center — which provide hands-on training in IT, healthcare, logistics, and other industries.
The Importance of IT Education
In today’s society, IT education is extremely important. It helps develop essential 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration — all vital for both professional and personal success. Furthermore, access to knowledge is expanding thanks to online learning platforms, which make education available from anywhere in the world.
Most importantly, IT skills prepare students for the careers of the future, where computer literacy and programming knowledge are key. The demand for IT professionals continues to grow, meaning these skills open up vast opportunities for career advancement and financial stability.
As you can see, IT education is becoming increasingly popular, and you can pursue it at Dallas College — a prestigious and dynamic institution that consistently expands its educational programs and collaborates with leading IT companies in the city.
We hope this article was informative and helped you learn more about your hometown.
