Head-to-head comparison
Amarillo College vs Texas Southmost 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 Brownsville, TX
Texas Southmost College
- Net price / year
- $3,085
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,900
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Texas Southmost College comes closer — median earnings $41,900 against a $6,170 total, vs $41,302 at Amarillo College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Amarillo College | Texas Southmost College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,600 | $3,085 |
| Total net cost | $9,200 | $6,170 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,302 | $41,900 |
| Median debt | $15,000 | $9,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$150,360 | -$135,370 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Amarillo College or Texas Southmost College?
Texas Southmost College, at $3,085 a year after aid versus $4,600 — a gap of $1,515 a year, or $3,030 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 Texas Southmost College graduates earn more?
Texas Southmost College graduates report a median $41,900 ten years after entry, $598 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 Texas Southmost College?
Texas Southmost College: its completers carry a median $9,000 in federal loans versus $15,000 at Amarillo College, a difference of $6,000. 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 30% at Texas Southmost 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.