Lamson Institute — ROI, Cost & Payback
Lamson Institute charges a net price of $26,587/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $106,348. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,015, 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, Lamson Institute does not clear its cost — it ranks #157 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) | $26,587/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $106,348 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,015 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,345/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $7,853 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$313,248 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Lamson Institute's own numbers. Net price $26,587 × 4 years = $106,348 total. Median earnings $38,015 fall $10,345 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 $106,348 bill in about 10.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Lamson Institute students graduate with?
A median $7,853 in federal loans among completers, or 21% of the $38,015 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Lamson Institute students graduate?
80% finish their degree. Spread the $106,348 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $132,935 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Lamson Institute expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $26,587 net price runs $7,228 above the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, or $28,912 more across the full degree.