Head-to-head comparison
Del Mar College vs Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi: which has better ROI?
Option A Corpus Christi, TX
Del Mar College
- Net price / year
- $3,399
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,656
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Corpus Christi, TX
Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi
- Net price / year
- $15,225
- Earnings, 10 years
- $51,865
- Payback
- 17.4 yrs
Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $60,900 in 17.4 years versus not at all at Del Mar College, on median earnings of $51,865 vs $38,656 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Del Mar College | Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,399 | $15,225 |
| Total net cost | $6,798 | $60,900 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,656 | $51,865 |
| Median debt | $5,500 | $23,000 |
| Payback | — | 17.4 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$200,878 | $9,200 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Del Mar College or Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi?
Del Mar College, at $3,399 a year after aid versus $15,225 — a gap of $11,826 a year, or $54,102 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 Del Mar College or Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi graduates earn more?
Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi graduates report a median $51,865 ten years after entry, $13,209 more than the $38,656 at Del Mar 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, Del Mar College or Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi?
Del Mar College: its completers carry a median $5,500 in federal loans versus $23,000 at Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi, a difference of $17,500. 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?
40% of students finish at Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi, against 11% at Del Mar 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.