Head-to-head comparison
Amarillo College vs Odessa College: 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 Odessa, TX
Odessa College
- Net price / year
- $6,368
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,026
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Odessa College comes closer — median earnings $42,026 against a $12,736 total, vs $41,302 at Amarillo College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Amarillo College | Odessa College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,600 | $6,368 |
| Total net cost | $9,200 | $12,736 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,302 | $42,026 |
| Median debt | $15,000 | $7,750 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$150,360 | -$139,416 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Amarillo College or Odessa College?
Amarillo College, at $4,600 a year after aid versus $6,368 — a gap of $1,768 a year, or $3,536 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 Odessa College graduates earn more?
Odessa College graduates report a median $42,026 ten years after entry, $724 more than the $41,302 at Amarillo 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, Amarillo College or Odessa College?
Odessa College: its completers carry a median $7,750 in federal loans versus $15,000 at Amarillo College, a difference of $7,250. 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?
37% of students finish at Odessa College, 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.