Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF

South Texas College

McAllen, TX · 41 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$250,534 over 10 years

Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

Modeled economic break-even
−134%Modeled 10-year ROI
$38,647Observed earnings · year 5
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$250,534at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$187,0040
2
4
6
8
−$250,53410
Years after graduationBreak-even: years
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 in-state tuition$4,920
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$7,620
Sticker price
Average net price$1,751
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$9,561
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$1,751Average net price / year
$9,561Cost of attendance
$38,647Median earnings · year 5 after completion
27.3%Completion rate
Not availableAdmission rate
15,856Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

35thEarnings percentile
9thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$28,878Year 1
$40,768Year 4
$38,647Year 5

Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.

PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD

The college average is not the whole story.

Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.

1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Associate's Degree$88,0292Engineering, General · Associate's Degree$63,9403Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Associate's Degree$63,8334Criminal Justice and Corrections · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$56,2855Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$55,6756Precision Metal Working · Associate's Degree$54,4647Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$54,2738Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians · Associate's Degree$53,246

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

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.

El Paso, TX

El Paso Community College

Annual net price
$3,206
Observed earnings · year 5
$39,531
Modeled 10-year ROI
-128%
Open college profile →
Snyder, TX

Western Texas College

Annual net price
$3,562
Observed earnings · year 5
$37,380
Modeled 10-year ROI
-139%
Open college profile →
Port Arthur, TX

Lamar State College-Port Arthur

Annual net price
$2,846
Observed earnings · year 5
$41,364
Modeled 10-year ROI
-119%
Open college profile →
San Antonio, TX

Palo Alto College

Annual net price
$4,463
Observed earnings · year 5
$40,423
Modeled 10-year ROI
-123%
Open college profile →
ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal fieldCredentialEarnings, year 4Federal debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's Degree$88,029$10,000
Engineering, GeneralAssociate's Degree$63,940Not available
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsAssociate's Degree$63,833$5,062
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$56,285Not available
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing AssistantsUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$55,675$6,507
Precision Metal WorkingAssociate's Degree$54,464Not available
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$54,273$10,033
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree$53,246Not available
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor's Degree$46,438$6,967
Precision Metal WorkingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$45,926Not available
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's Degree$45,612$5,449
Fire ProtectionUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$43,838Not available
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralAssociate's Degree$43,650Not available
Health and Medical Administrative ServicesBachelor's Degree$42,423$5,500
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$41,670Not available
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$41,624Not available
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)Associate's Degree$41,483Not available
Electrical and Power Transmission InstallersUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$39,957Not available
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsAssociate's Degree$39,235$6,500
Allied Health and Medical Assisting ServicesAssociate's Degree$39,050$10,378
Communication and Media StudiesAssociate's Degree$37,778Not available
Business/Commerce, GeneralAssociate's Degree$37,416$5,421
Biology, GeneralAssociate's Degree$37,289$6,602
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessAssociate's Degree$36,477$4,500
Social WorkAssociate's Degree$35,379$6,227
Health and Medical Administrative ServicesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$33,578Not available
Computer Engineering Technologies/TechniciansUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$32,971Not available
HistoryAssociate's Degree$32,363Not available
Computer ScienceAssociate's Degree$31,376Not available
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/TechniciansUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$31,238Not available
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsAssociate's Degree$31,083$5,500
Psychology, GeneralAssociate's Degree$30,857$7,743
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesAssociate's Degree$30,621Not available
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's Degree$29,990$7,500
Business Operations Support and Assistant ServicesAssociate's Degree$29,889Not available
English Language and Literature, GeneralAssociate's Degree$29,167Not available
Allied Health and Medical Assisting ServicesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$24,673Not available
Design and Applied ArtsAssociate's Degree$23,961Not available
American Sign LanguageAssociate's Degree$22,261Not available
Business Operations Support and Assistant ServicesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$22,196Not available
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$20,496Not available

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.