Head-to-head comparison
Amarillo College vs Northwest Educational Center: 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 Houston, TX
Northwest Educational Center
- Net price / year
- $11,265
- Earnings, 10 years
- $25,442
- 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 $25,442 at Northwest Educational Center. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Amarillo College | Northwest Educational Center |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,600 | $11,265 |
| Total net cost | $9,200 | $45,060 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,302 | $25,442 |
| Median debt | $15,000 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$150,360 | -$503,420 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Amarillo College or Northwest Educational Center?
Amarillo College, at $4,600 a year after aid versus $11,265 — a gap of $6,665 a year, or $35,860 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 Northwest Educational Center graduates earn more?
Amarillo College graduates report a median $41,302 ten years after entry, $15,860 more than the $25,442 at Northwest Educational Center. 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 graduates more of its students?
70% of students finish at Northwest Educational Center, against 32% at Amarillo 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.