Central Coast College plans 28,000-square-foot campus on Katy Freeway, creating a new career-training option as demand for healthcare workers grows
HOUSTON, Sept. 15, 2026 — Legacy Education Inc. is expanding into Texas with plans to open a new Central Coast College campus in Houston, bringing career-focused healthcare education to one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing medical markets.
The company has signed a lease for approximately 28,000 square feet at 10496 Katy Freeway, with the new campus expected to open during the second quarter of 2027, subject to regulatory and accreditation approvals.
Houston will become Central Coast College’s first Texas location, expanding the institution beyond its existing presence in California. The college, founded in 1983, offers career-focused programmes in areas including allied health, nursing, veterinary technology and other healthcare-related fields.
Legacy Education said the Houston campus is expected to offer programmes similar to those available at its Salinas, California, location, although specific programmes will depend on regulatory and accreditation approvals.
Houston’s growing healthcare workforce
The expansion comes as Houston’s healthcare sector continues to generate significant employment opportunities. The Greater Houston Partnership has forecast that healthcare and social assistance could account for almost half of the region’s employment growth in 2026, with about 14,000 new jobs expected in the sector.
For a city with a large and diverse immigrant population, the expansion of career-focused education could provide another route into healthcare for students who want shorter, specialised training programmes rather than traditional four-year degree pathways.
Joe Bartolome, senior vice president of operations at Legacy Education, said Houston was a natural market for the company because of the city’s size, diversity and strong healthcare industry.
The company said the new campus will be designed to provide students with a modern, hands-on learning environment and could eventually support further expansion in the Houston market.
Potential relevance for Houston’s Pakistani-American community
The development may also be of interest to Houston’s large Pakistani-American population, particularly younger residents considering careers in healthcare and other allied-health fields.
According to the Pew Research Center, about 45,000 people of Pakistani origin live in the Houston metropolitan area, making Houston one of the largest Pakistani population centres in the United States. Pew also reports that 59% of Pakistani Americans age 25 and older hold at least a bachelor’s or advanced degree, reflecting a highly education-oriented community.
The new campus could therefore add another local option for Pakistani-American families and other Houston residents looking for career-oriented healthcare education close to home. However, Legacy Education has not announced any programme specifically designed for the Pakistani community.
The potential relevance is largely tied to Houston’s demographics and the community’s established interest in professional and healthcare careers, rather than any stated targeting by the company.
Expansion marks new phase for Legacy Education
LeeAnn Rohmann, chief executive officer of Legacy Education, described the Houston expansion as an important milestone for the company after more than four decades of Central Coast College operations.
Legacy Education says its mission is to provide career-specific education in allied-health disciplines that align with industry demand and to help graduates move into their chosen careers.
The Houston project will also test the company’s ability to establish its model in a new state and market. Its planned programmes, campus opening and student enrolment remain subject to regulatory and accreditation requirements.
For Houston, the arrival of Central Coast College adds another institution to an already substantial healthcare education and employment ecosystem — at a time when the region continues to need trained workers across the medical and allied-health sectors.
