Vernon College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Vernon College charges a net price of $6,404/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $12,808. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,464, 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, Vernon College does not clear its cost — it ranks #97 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) | $6,404/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $12,808 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,464 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$7,896/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $11,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$170,728 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Vernon College's own numbers. Net price $6,404 × 2 years = $12,808 total. Median earnings $40,464 fall $7,896 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 $12,808 bill in about 1.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Vernon College students graduate with?
A median $11,000 in federal loans among completers, or 27% of the $40,464 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Vernon College students graduate?
21% finish their degree — 79% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $12,808 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $60,990 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Vernon College expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $6,404 net price runs $12,955 below the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, and $25,910 less across the full degree.