Head-to-head comparison
Northwest Vista College vs Amarillo College: which has better ROI?
Option A San Antonio, TX
Northwest Vista College
- Net price / year
- $4,525
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,490
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Amarillo, TX
Amarillo College
- Net price / year
- $4,600
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,302
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Northwest Vista College comes closer — median earnings $42,490 against a $9,050 total, vs $41,302 at Amarillo College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Northwest Vista College | Amarillo College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,525 | $4,600 |
| Total net cost | $9,050 | $9,200 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,490 | $41,302 |
| Median debt | $9,400 | $15,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$126,450 | -$150,360 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Northwest Vista College or Amarillo College?
Northwest Vista College, at $4,525 a year after aid versus $4,600 — a gap of $75 a year, or $150 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 Northwest Vista College or Amarillo College graduates earn more?
Northwest Vista College graduates report a median $42,490 ten years after entry, $1,188 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, Northwest Vista College or Amarillo College?
Northwest Vista College: its completers carry a median $9,400 in federal loans versus $15,000 at Amarillo College, a difference of $5,600. 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 32% at Northwest Vista 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.