Head-to-head comparison
Lone Star College System vs The University of Texas at Austin: which has better ROI?
Option A The Woodlands, TX
Lone Star College System
- Net price / year
- $11,252
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,466
- 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 Lone Star College System, on median earnings of $75,121 vs $42,466 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Lone Star College System | The University of Texas at Austin |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,252 | $19,857 |
| Total net cost | $22,504 | $79,428 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,466 | $75,121 |
| Median debt | $8,600 | $20,500 |
| Payback | — | 3 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$140,384 | $455,792 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Lone Star College System or The University of Texas at Austin?
Lone Star College System, at $11,252 a year after aid versus $19,857 — a gap of $8,605 a year, or $56,924 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 Lone Star College System 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, $32,655 more than the $42,466 at Lone Star College System. 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, Lone Star College System or The University of Texas at Austin?
Lone Star College System: its completers carry a median $8,600 in federal loans versus $20,500 at The University of Texas at Austin, a difference of $11,900. 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 21% at Lone Star College System. 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.