Western Texas College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Western Texas College charges a net price of $3,562/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $7,124. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,508, 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, Western Texas College does not clear its cost — it ranks #83 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) | $3,562/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $7,124 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,508 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,852/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $7,515 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$124,164 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Western Texas College's own numbers. Net price $3,562 × 2 years = $7,124 total. Median earnings $42,508 fall $5,852 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 $7,124 bill in about 0.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Western Texas College students graduate with?
A median $7,515 in federal loans among completers, or 18% of the $42,508 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Western Texas College students graduate?
53% finish their degree — 47% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $7,124 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $13,442 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Western Texas College expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $3,562 net price runs $15,797 below the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, and $31,594 less across the full degree.