Laredo College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Laredo College charges a net price of $5,798/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $11,596. Median earnings ten years after entry are $33,934, 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, Laredo College does not clear its cost — it ranks #156 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) | $5,798/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $11,596 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $33,934 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$14,426/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $2,959 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$300,116 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Laredo College's own numbers. Net price $5,798 × 2 years = $11,596 total. Median earnings $33,934 fall $14,426 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 $11,596 bill in about 1.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Laredo College students graduate with?
A median $2,959 in federal loans among completers, or 9% of the $33,934 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Laredo College students graduate?
30% finish their degree — 70% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $11,596 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $38,653 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Laredo College expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $5,798 net price runs $13,561 below the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, and $27,122 less across the full degree.