Head-to-head comparison
El Paso Community College vs The University of Texas at El Paso: which has better ROI?
Option A El Paso, TX
El Paso Community College
- Net price / year
- $3,206
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,212
- Payback
- No payback
Option B El Paso, TX
The University of Texas at El Paso
- Net price / year
- $9,403
- Earnings, 10 years
- $50,923
- Payback
- 14.7 yrs
The University of Texas at El Paso has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $37,612 in 14.7 years versus not at all at El Paso Community College, on median earnings of $50,923 vs $35,212 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | El Paso Community College | The University of Texas at El Paso |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,206 | $9,403 |
| Total net cost | $6,412 | $37,612 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $35,212 | $50,923 |
| Median debt | $6,566 | $18,000 |
| Payback | — | 14.7 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$269,372 | $13,648 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, El Paso Community College or The University of Texas at El Paso?
El Paso Community College, at $3,206 a year after aid versus $9,403 — a gap of $6,197 a year, or $31,200 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 El Paso Community College or The University of Texas at El Paso graduates earn more?
The University of Texas at El Paso graduates report a median $50,923 ten years after entry, $15,711 more than the $35,212 at El Paso Community 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, El Paso Community College or The University of Texas at El Paso?
El Paso Community College: its completers carry a median $6,566 in federal loans versus $18,000 at The University of Texas at El Paso, a difference of $11,434. 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?
50% of students finish at The University of Texas at El Paso, against 24% at El Paso Community 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.