Howard College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Howard College charges a net price of $6,147/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $12,294. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,382, 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, Howard College does not clear its cost — it ranks #115 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) | $6,147/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $12,294 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,382 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,978/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$211,854 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Howard College's own numbers. Net price $6,147 × 2 years = $12,294 total. Median earnings $38,382 fall $9,978 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 $12,294 bill in about 1.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Howard College students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $38,382 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Howard College students graduate?
35% finish their degree — 65% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $12,294 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $35,126 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Howard College expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $6,147 net price runs $13,212 below the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, and $26,424 less across the full degree.