Southwest University at El Paso — ROI, Cost & Payback
Southwest University at El Paso charges a net price of $16,906/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $33,812. Median earnings ten years after entry are $29,648, 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 University at El Paso does not clear its cost — it ranks #167 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) | $16,906/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $33,812 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $29,648 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$18,712/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $20,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$408,052 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Southwest University at El Paso's own numbers. Net price $16,906 × 2 years = $33,812 total. Median earnings $29,648 fall $18,712 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 $33,812 bill in about 3.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Southwest University at El Paso students graduate with?
A median $20,000 in federal loans among completers, or 67% of the $29,648 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Southwest University at El Paso students graduate?
59% finish their degree — 41% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $33,812 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $57,308 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Southwest University at El Paso expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $16,906 net price runs $2,453 below the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, and $4,906 less across the full degree.