El Paso Community College vs Southwest University at El Paso: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but El Paso Community College comes closer — median earnings $35,212 against a $6,412 total, vs $29,648 at Southwest University at El Paso. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | El Paso Community College | Southwest University at El Paso |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,206 | $16,906 |
| Total net cost | $6,412 | $33,812 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $35,212 | $29,648 |
| Median debt | $6,566 | $20,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$269,372 | -$408,052 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, El Paso Community College or Southwest University at El Paso?
El Paso Community College, at $3,206 a year after aid versus $16,906 — a gap of $13,700 a year, or $27,400 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do El Paso Community College or Southwest University at El Paso graduates earn more?
El Paso Community College graduates report a median $35,212 ten years after entry, $5,564 more than the $29,648 at Southwest University at El Paso. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
Which leaves students with less debt, El Paso Community College or Southwest University at El Paso?
El Paso Community College: its completers carry a median $6,566 in federal loans versus $20,000 at Southwest University at El Paso, a difference of $13,434. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
59% of students finish at Southwest University at El Paso, against 24% at El Paso Community College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.