Lamar State College-Orange — ROI, Cost & Payback
Lamar State College-Orange charges a net price of $1,655/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $6,620. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,587, 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, Lamar State College-Orange does not clear its cost — it ranks #129 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) | $1,655/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $6,620 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,587 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,773/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,959 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$242,080 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Lamar State College-Orange's own numbers. Net price $1,655 × 4 years = $6,620 total. Median earnings $36,587 fall $11,773 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 $6,620 bill in about 0.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Lamar State College-Orange students graduate with?
A median $10,959 in federal loans among completers, or 30% of the $36,587 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Lamar State College-Orange students graduate?
37% finish their degree — 63% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $6,620 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $17,892 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Lamar State College-Orange expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $1,655 net price runs $17,704 below the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, and $70,816 less across the full degree.