10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$147,316at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
Dallas College
Dallas, TX · 49 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 45 · Federal debt reported for 37
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$147,316 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
42.3 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−76%Estimated return after 10 years
$49,554Observed earnings · year 5
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $16,052 housing and food allowance plus $12,392 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$134,460
$3,000Current college-wide context−$146,460
$8,000Annual price−$166,460
$16,000Annual price−$198,460
$24,000Annual price−$230,460
$32,000Annual price−$262,460
$40,000Annual price−$294,460
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Most students take at least some classes online.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Main award level
- Associate degrees
- Campus setting
- City
- Admissions
- Open admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024
30,531 high-school students took college courses.
IPEDS counts students enrolled in college credit while still in high school. A large dual-enrollment population can shape headline enrollment figures, especially at community colleges.
This is participation, not a college completion rate. It does not indicate how many students later enrolled after high school, earned a credential or entered the workforce.
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in Texas run 3% below the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$3,214Average net price / year
$9,704Cost of attendance
$9,500Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$101/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$49,554Median earnings · year 5 after completion
32.3%Completion rate
Not availableAdmission rate
43,869Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about Dallas College
What does Dallas College cost?
Dallas College reports an average annual net price of $3,214 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Dallas College graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $49,554 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Dallas College graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $9,500. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Dallas College worth the same?
No. The current release contains 49 field-and-degree records for Dallas College; 45 report year-4 earnings and 37 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
107,417Students enrolled at any point
107,417Undergraduate students
Not availableGraduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
26% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
10 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
22% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$38,879Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$48,688Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$58,957Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income19%
Middle income38%
Higher income47%
Undergraduate student composition
White13%
Black20%
Hispanic49%
Asian6%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
INDEPENDENT CENSUS EARNINGS VIEW
How earnings develop by field
Privacy-protected Census employment records follow graduate cohorts one, five and ten years after completion. This source is kept separate from College Scorecard because its population and methodology differ.
Field and credentialYear 1Year 5Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Certificate, less than 1 year · Broad federal field 51
$77,850Year 1
$95,519Year 5
$106,171Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Associate degree · Broad federal field 51
$67,247Year 1
$88,055Year 5
$99,823Year 10
Criminal Justice and Corrections.Certificate, less than 1 year · Broad federal field 43
$74,187Year 1
$85,406Year 5
$92,978Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Certificate, 1–2 years · Broad federal field 51
$47,119Year 1
$67,570Year 5
$86,717Year 10
Law.Associate degree · Broad federal field 22
$47,786Year 1
$59,848Year 5
$67,042Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Associate degree · Broad federal field 52
$44,145Year 1
$48,213Year 5
$65,458Year 10
Computer Programming.Certificate, less than 1 year · Broad federal field 11
$43,772Year 1
$59,460Year 5
$65,353Year 10
Casino Operations and Services.Associate degree · Broad federal field 12
$36,395Year 1
$47,878Year 5
$64,085Year 10
Median annual earnings in 2023 dollars. Each time point may use a different pooled graduation cohort. Coverage is limited to institutions participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$38,587Year 1
$53,130Year 4
$49,554Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$96,3102Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Associate's Degree$86,2383Electrical and Power Transmission Installers · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$84,7054Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Associate's Degree$84,3515Management Information Systems and Services · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$77,4456Construction Engineering Technology/Technician · Associate's Degree$72,9277Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$69,9878Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians · Associate's Degree$65,208Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma · $96,310 reported+67%vs same-degree national median$14,500federal debt2Electrical and Power Transmission InstallersUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma · $84,705 reported+60%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Culinary Arts and Related ServicesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma · $44,490 reported+46%vs same-degree national median$9,218federal debt4MusicAssociate's Degree · $48,378 reported+42%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt5Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/TechniciansUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma · $69,987 reported+41%vs same-degree national median$12,269federal debt6Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsAssociate's Degree · $51,714 reported+37%vs same-degree national median$12,500federal debt
Comparable colleges in TX
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Brownsville, TX
Texas Southmost College
- Annual net price
- $3,085
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $49,210
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -78%
Amarillo College
- Annual net price
- $4,600
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $49,187
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -79%
Texas A&M International University
- Annual net price
- $3,637
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $51,461
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -67%
Tarrant County College District
- Annual net price
- $4,337
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $48,271
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -83%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 49 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $96,310 | $14,500 | 668 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Associate's Degree | $86,238 | $17,187 | Not reported |
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installers | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $84,705 | Not available | 49 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Associate's Degree | $84,351 | $17,352 | Not reported |
| Management Information Systems and Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $77,445 | $14,439 | 0 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | Associate's Degree | $72,927 | Not available | Not reported |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $69,987 | $12,269 | 56 |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | Associate's Degree | $65,208 | $12,549 | Not reported |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $64,708 | Not available | 65 |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | Associate's Degree | $62,305 | $13,164 | Not reported |
| Computer Programming | Associate's Degree | $61,663 | $21,908 | Not reported |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $60,993 | $13,669 | 52 |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | Associate's Degree | $60,937 | $7,959 | Not reported |
| Business/Commerce, General | Associate's Degree | $58,548 | $10,500 | Not reported |
| Computer Programming | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $58,181 | $19,107 | 93 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's Degree | $55,669 | $15,016 | Not reported |
| Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $55,406 | $11,000 | 40 |
| Accounting and Related Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $52,856 | $12,500 | 191 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $52,098 | $17,452 | 247 |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $52,091 | $9,508 | 125 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Associate's Degree | $51,714 | $12,500 | Not reported |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $50,877 | $9,720 | 21 |
| Data Processing | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $50,824 | $10,718 | 85 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $50,225 | $11,261 | Not reported |
| Legal Support Services | Associate's Degree | $49,117 | $17,294 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Associate's Degree | $48,906 | $14,527 | Not reported |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Associate's Degree | $48,751 | $11,457 | Not reported |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Associate's Degree | $48,725 | $11,000 | Not reported |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $48,422 | $15,997 | 186 |
| Music | Associate's Degree | $48,378 | Not available | Not reported |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | Associate's Degree | $47,111 | $16,040 | Not reported |
| Precision Metal Working | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $45,483 | Not available | 41 |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $44,490 | $9,218 | 75 |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate's Degree | $44,490 | Not available | Not reported |
| Real Estate | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $44,318 | $17,063 | 49 |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $42,050 | $14,047 | 82 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $41,866 | Not available | 20 |
| Business Operations Support and Assistant Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $41,766 | $18,456 | 17 |
| Business Operations Support and Assistant Services | Associate's Degree | $41,109 | Not available | Not reported |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $40,229 | Not available | 27 |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every Dallas College program record →Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.