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Central Texas College — ROI, Cost & Payback

Public · Killeen, TX · 6,247 students

The verdict

Central Texas College charges a net price of $10,265/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $20,530. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,995, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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On institution-wide earnings, Central Texas College does not clear its cost — it ranks #96 of 213 Texas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.

$10,265
Net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$40,995
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
Payback
Our math, 2026
Admission rate
Scorecard, 2026
Central Texas College: cost, earnings and payback
MeasureValueSource
Net price (after aid)$10,265/yrScorecard, 2026
Total net cost (2 yrs)$20,530our math
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry$40,995Scorecard, 2026
Earnings premium over HS baseline-$7,365/yrour math
Median debt (completers)$6,750Scorecard, 2026
Paybackdoes not clearour math
20-year net return-$167,830our math

College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.

The arithmetic, on Central Texas College's own numbers. Net price $10,265 × 2 years = $20,530 total. Median earnings $40,995 fall $7,365 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $20,530 bill in about 2.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.

How much debt do Central Texas College students graduate with?

A median $6,750 in federal loans among completers, or 16% of the $40,995 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.

What share of Central Texas College students graduate?

11% finish their degree — 89% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $20,530 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $186,636 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.

Is Central Texas College expensive compared with other Texas colleges?

Its $10,265 net price runs $9,094 below the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, and $18,188 less across the full degree.

Central Texas College: frequently asked questions

Is Central Texas College worth the cost?
On institution-wide earnings, the degree does not clear its cost: graduates earn a median $40,995, at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. The field you study matters far more here than the school average — a high-paying major can flip the math.
How long does a Central Texas College degree take to pay off?
On institution-wide earnings it does not pay back, because median earnings sit at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. A specific high-ROI program can still pay off.
How much does Central Texas College cost after financial aid?
The median net price is $10,265/yr — about $20,530 over 2 years. That is what the typical aided student actually pays after grants and scholarships, not the published sticker price.
How does Central Texas College compare to other Texas colleges?
It ranks #96 of 213 Texas colleges we track by payback. Its $40,995 median earnings trail the national median of $43,549, and its $10,265 net price is below the national median of $16,902.