College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Southwest University at El Paso

El Paso, TX 2,073 Undergrads 82.1% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$23,987
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,906
After Aid
Median Earnings
$36,187
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$16,906
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$36,187
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$29,648
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate82.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age26.7
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients80.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time100.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS49.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$336k
-$131k
-$149k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$275k
-$192k
-$210k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$249k
-$218k
-$235k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$17k/yr
Never
-344%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-272%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return-370%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-135%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$28,664
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$19,998
Earnings (4yr)
$35,818
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Median Debt
$17,367
Earnings (4yr)
$33,726
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Median Debt
$41,654
Earnings (4yr)
$59,097
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Median Debt
$24,750
Earnings (4yr)
$36,823
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$33,666
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Median Debt
$32,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,705
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,015
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k
Median Debt
$47,083
Earnings (4yr)
$39,459
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$48,996
Earnings (4yr)
$40,984
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.