Wade College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Wade College charges a net price of $20,778/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $41,556. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,657, 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, Wade College does not clear its cost — it ranks #141 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) | $20,778/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $41,556 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,657 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,703/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $22,938 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$275,616 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Wade College's own numbers. Net price $20,778 × 2 years = $41,556 total. Median earnings $36,657 fall $11,703 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 $41,556 bill in about 4.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Wade College students graduate with?
A median $22,938 in federal loans among completers, or 63% of the $36,657 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Wade College students graduate?
54% finish their degree — 46% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $41,556 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $76,956 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Wade College expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $20,778 net price runs $1,419 above the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, or $2,838 more across the full degree.