Galveston College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Galveston College charges a net price of $8,412/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $33,648. Median earnings ten years after entry are $37,233, 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.)
On institution-wide earnings, Galveston College does not clear its cost — it ranks #136 of 213 Texas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $8,412/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $33,648 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $37,233 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,127/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,311 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$256,188 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Galveston College's own numbers. Net price $8,412 × 4 years = $33,648 total. Median earnings $37,233 fall $11,127 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 $33,648 bill in about 3.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Galveston College students graduate with?
A median $10,311 in federal loans among completers, or 28% of the $37,233 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Galveston College students graduate?
33% finish their degree — 67% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $33,648 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $101,964 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Galveston College expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $8,412 net price runs $10,947 below the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, and $43,788 less across the full degree.