Head-to-head comparison
The University of Texas at El Paso vs Southwest University at El Paso: which has better ROI?
Option A El Paso, TX
The University of Texas at El Paso
- Net price / year
- $9,403
- Earnings, 10 years
- $50,923
- Payback
- 14.7 yrs
Option B El Paso, TX
Southwest University at El Paso
- Net price / year
- $16,906
- Earnings, 10 years
- $29,648
- Payback
- No payback
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 Southwest University at El Paso, on median earnings of $50,923 vs $29,648 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | The University of Texas at El Paso | Southwest University at El Paso |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,403 | $16,906 |
| Total net cost | $37,612 | $33,812 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $50,923 | $29,648 |
| Median debt | $18,000 | $20,000 |
| Payback | 14.7 yrs | — |
| 20-year net return | $13,648 | -$408,052 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, The University of Texas at El Paso or Southwest University at El Paso?
The University of Texas at El Paso, at $9,403 a year after aid versus $16,906 — a gap of $7,503 a year, or $3,800 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 The University of Texas at El Paso or Southwest University at El Paso graduates earn more?
The University of Texas at El Paso graduates report a median $50,923 ten years after entry, $21,275 more than the $29,648 at Southwest University at El Paso. 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, The University of Texas at El Paso or Southwest University at El Paso?
The University of Texas at El Paso: its completers carry a median $18,000 in federal loans versus $20,000 at Southwest University at El Paso, a difference of $2,000. 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?
59% of students finish at Southwest University at El Paso, against 50% at The University of Texas at El Paso. 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.