Head-to-head comparison
Dallas College vs The University of Texas at Austin: which has better ROI?
Option A Dallas, TX
Dallas College
- Net price / year
- $3,214
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,714
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Austin, TX
The University of Texas at Austin
- Net price / year
- $19,857
- Earnings, 10 years
- $75,121
- Payback
- 3 yrs
The University of Texas at Austin has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $79,428 in 3 years versus not at all at Dallas College, on median earnings of $75,121 vs $41,714 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Dallas College | The University of Texas at Austin |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,214 | $19,857 |
| Total net cost | $6,428 | $79,428 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,714 | $75,121 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $20,500 |
| Payback | — | 3 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$139,348 | $455,792 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Dallas College or The University of Texas at Austin?
Dallas College, at $3,214 a year after aid versus $19,857 — a gap of $16,643 a year, or $73,000 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 Dallas College or The University of Texas at Austin graduates earn more?
The University of Texas at Austin graduates report a median $75,121 ten years after entry, $33,407 more than the $41,714 at Dallas 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, Dallas College or The University of Texas at Austin?
Dallas College: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $20,500 at The University of Texas at Austin, a difference of $11,000. 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?
89% of students finish at The University of Texas at Austin, against 32% at Dallas 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.