University of the Southwest — ROI, Cost & Payback
University of the Southwest charges a net price of $16,927/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $67,708. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,389, 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, University of the Southwest does not clear its cost — it ranks #8 of 32 New Mexico colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $16,927/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $67,708 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,389 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,971/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $21,303 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$127,128 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on University of the Southwest's own numbers. Net price $16,927 × 4 years = $67,708 total. Median earnings $45,389 fall $2,971 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 $67,708 bill in about 6.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do University of the Southwest students graduate with?
A median $21,303 in federal loans among completers, or 47% of the $45,389 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of University of the Southwest students graduate?
17% finish their degree — 83% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $67,708 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $398,282 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is University of the Southwest expensive compared with other New Mexico colleges?
Its $16,927 net price runs $9,605 above the $7,323 median across the 32 New Mexico colleges we profile, or $38,418 more across the full degree.