Otero College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Otero College charges a net price of $11,103/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $44,412. Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,018, 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, Otero College does not clear its cost — it ranks #34 of 50 Colorado colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $11,103/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $44,412 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $39,018 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,342/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,250 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$231,252 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Otero College's own numbers. Net price $11,103 × 4 years = $44,412 total. Median earnings $39,018 fall $9,342 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 $44,412 bill in about 4.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Otero College students graduate with?
A median $10,250 in federal loans among completers, or 26% of the $39,018 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Otero College students graduate?
38% finish their degree — 62% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $44,412 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $116,874 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Otero College expensive compared with other Colorado colleges?
Its $11,103 net price runs $5,365 below the $16,468 median across the 50 Colorado colleges we profile, and $21,458 less across the full degree.