Head-to-head comparison
Odessa College vs The University of Texas Permian Basin: which has better ROI?
Option A Odessa, TX
Odessa College
- Net price / year
- $6,368
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,026
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Odessa, TX
The University of Texas Permian Basin
- Net price / year
- $12,723
- Earnings, 10 years
- $56,073
- Payback
- 6.6 yrs
The University of Texas Permian Basin has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $50,892 in 6.6 years versus not at all at Odessa College, on median earnings of $56,073 vs $42,026 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Odessa College | The University of Texas Permian Basin |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,368 | $12,723 |
| Total net cost | $12,736 | $50,892 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,026 | $56,073 |
| Median debt | $7,750 | $17,750 |
| Payback | — | 6.6 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$139,416 | $103,368 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Odessa College or The University of Texas Permian Basin?
Odessa College, at $6,368 a year after aid versus $12,723 — a gap of $6,355 a year, or $38,156 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 Odessa College or The University of Texas Permian Basin graduates earn more?
The University of Texas Permian Basin graduates report a median $56,073 ten years after entry, $14,047 more than the $42,026 at Odessa 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, Odessa College or The University of Texas Permian Basin?
Odessa College: its completers carry a median $7,750 in federal loans versus $17,750 at The University of Texas Permian Basin, a difference of $10,000. 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?
40% of students finish at The University of Texas Permian Basin, against 37% at Odessa 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.