Texas Moves Forward With Plan for Three-Year College Degrees

TEXAS -- Texas is officially moving forward with a plan that could eventually let students earn certain bachelor's degrees in three years instead of four, potentially saving them thousands of dollars in the process.

We first told you about this idea in August, when Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to figure out how three-year degrees could work at public colleges and universities.

Now, that process is actually underway.

Texas Has a Team Working on the Details

Gov. Abbott has announced a 13-member working group made up of faculty and staff from four-year universities and community colleges across Texas. Their job is to determine which degrees make sense for a shorter path, what academic standards would be required, and what changes Texas would need to make to actually pull this off.

The group has until December 31 to deliver its recommendations.

How Much Could a Three-Year Degree Save?

Here's the part that will probably get the attention of anyone who's ever looked at a college bill.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board estimates a three-year bachelor's degree could reduce the cost of earning a degree by up to 25%, potentially saving students between $15,000 and $35,000.

The idea here isn't to just cram four years of classes into three. These would be specially designed degree pathways, likely focused on fields where Texas has a strong workforce demand.

So no, the traditional four-year degree isn't disappearing. But for some Texas students, there could eventually be another option: one less year of college and, potentially, a whole lot less money spent getting that degree.

Read More: 5 Texas Jobs That May Pay $100K Without Requiring a Bachelor's Degree