Head-to-head comparison
Universal Technical Institute-Dallas Fort Worth vs Southwestern Adventist University: which has better ROI?
Option A Irving, TX
Universal Technical Institute-Dallas Fort Worth
- Net price / year
- $26,265
- Earnings, 10 years
- $51,222
- Payback
- 18.4 yrs
Option B Keene, TX
Southwestern Adventist University
- Net price / year
- $22,778
- Earnings, 10 years
- $52,946
- Payback
- 19.9 yrs
Universal Technical Institute-Dallas Fort Worth has the better ROI: it clears its 2-year net cost of $52,530 in 18.4 years versus 19.9 years at Southwestern Adventist University, on median earnings of $51,222 vs $52,946 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Universal Technical Institute-Dallas Fort Worth | Southwestern Adventist University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $26,265 | $22,778 |
| Total net cost | $52,530 | $91,112 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $51,222 | $52,946 |
| Median debt | $14,267 | $26,998 |
| Payback | 18.4 yrs | 19.9 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $4,710 | $608 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Universal Technical Institute-Dallas Fort Worth or Southwestern Adventist University?
Southwestern Adventist University, at $22,778 a year after aid versus $26,265 — a gap of $3,487 a year, or $38,582 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 Universal Technical Institute-Dallas Fort Worth or Southwestern Adventist University graduates earn more?
Southwestern Adventist University graduates report a median $52,946 ten years after entry, $1,724 more than the $51,222 at Universal Technical Institute-Dallas Fort Worth. 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, Universal Technical Institute-Dallas Fort Worth or Southwestern Adventist University?
Universal Technical Institute-Dallas Fort Worth: its completers carry a median $14,267 in federal loans versus $26,998 at Southwestern Adventist University, a difference of $12,731. 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?
75% of students finish at Universal Technical Institute-Dallas Fort Worth, against 52% at Southwestern Adventist University. 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.