Southern Careers Institute-Austin — ROI, Cost & Payback
Southern Careers Institute-Austin charges a net price of $25,660/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $102,640. Median earnings ten years after entry are $27,035, 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, Southern Careers Institute-Austin does not clear its cost — it ranks #205 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) | $25,660/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $102,640 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $27,035 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$21,325/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,708 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$529,140 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Southern Careers Institute-Austin's own numbers. Net price $25,660 × 4 years = $102,640 total. Median earnings $27,035 fall $21,325 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 $102,640 bill in about 10.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Southern Careers Institute-Austin students graduate with?
A median $8,708 in federal loans among completers, or 32% of the $27,035 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Southern Careers Institute-Austin students graduate?
53% finish their degree — 47% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $102,640 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $193,660 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Southern Careers Institute-Austin expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $25,660 net price runs $6,301 above the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, or $25,204 more across the full degree.