Head-to-head comparison
Alvin Community College vs Howard Payne University: which has better ROI?
Option A Alvin, TX
Alvin Community College
- Net price / year
- $8,525
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,762
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Brownwood, TX
Howard Payne University
- Net price / year
- $23,627
- Earnings, 10 years
- $48,376
- Payback
- 5906.8 yrs
Howard Payne University has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $94,508 in 5906.8 years versus not at all at Alvin Community College, on median earnings of $48,376 vs $45,762 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Alvin Community College | Howard Payne University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,525 | $23,627 |
| Total net cost | $17,050 | $94,508 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $45,762 | $48,376 |
| Median debt | $4,519 | $26,793 |
| Payback | — | 5906.8 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$69,010 | -$94,188 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Alvin Community College or Howard Payne University?
Alvin Community College, at $8,525 a year after aid versus $23,627 — a gap of $15,102 a year, or $77,458 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Alvin Community College or Howard Payne University graduates earn more?
Howard Payne University graduates report a median $48,376 ten years after entry, $2,614 more than the $45,762 at Alvin Community College. 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.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Alvin Community College or Howard Payne University?
Alvin Community College: its completers carry a median $4,519 in federal loans versus $26,793 at Howard Payne University, a difference of $22,274. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
28% of students finish at Howard Payne University, against 24% at Alvin 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.