Southwest Texas College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Southwest Texas College charges a net price of $7,372/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $29,488. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,563, 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, Southwest Texas College does not clear its cost — it ranks #148 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) | $7,372/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $29,488 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,563 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,797/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $6,200 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$285,428 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Southwest Texas College's own numbers. Net price $7,372 × 4 years = $29,488 total. Median earnings $35,563 fall $12,797 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 $29,488 bill in about 2.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Southwest Texas College students graduate with?
A median $6,200 in federal loans among completers, or 17% of the $35,563 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Southwest Texas College students graduate?
31% finish their degree — 69% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $29,488 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $95,123 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Southwest Texas College expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $7,372 net price runs $11,987 below the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, and $47,948 less across the full degree.