Head-to-head comparison
Amarillo College vs College of the Mainland: which has better ROI?
Option A Amarillo, TX
Amarillo College
- Net price / year
- $4,600
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,302
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Texas City, TX
College of the Mainland
- Net price / year
- $1,342
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,639
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Amarillo College comes closer — median earnings $41,302 against a $9,200 total, vs $39,639 at College of the Mainland. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Amarillo College | College of the Mainland |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,600 | $1,342 |
| Total net cost | $9,200 | $2,684 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,302 | $39,639 |
| Median debt | $15,000 | $5,960 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$150,360 | -$177,104 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Amarillo College or College of the Mainland?
College of the Mainland, at $1,342 a year after aid versus $4,600 — a gap of $3,258 a year, or $6,516 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 Amarillo College or College of the Mainland graduates earn more?
Amarillo College graduates report a median $41,302 ten years after entry, $1,663 more than the $39,639 at College of the Mainland. 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, Amarillo College or College of the Mainland?
College of the Mainland: its completers carry a median $5,960 in federal loans versus $15,000 at Amarillo College, a difference of $9,040. 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?
32% of students finish at Amarillo College, against 31% at College of the Mainland. 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.