Head-to-head comparison
Universal Technical Institute-Dallas Fort Worth vs Texas Lutheran 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 Seguin, TX
Texas Lutheran University
- Net price / year
- $24,654
- Earnings, 10 years
- $53,863
- Payback
- 17.9 yrs
Texas Lutheran University has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $98,616 in 17.9 years versus 18.4 years at Universal Technical Institute-Dallas Fort Worth, on median earnings of $53,863 vs $51,222 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Universal Technical Institute-Dallas Fort Worth | Texas Lutheran University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $26,265 | $24,654 |
| Total net cost | $52,530 | $98,616 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $51,222 | $53,863 |
| Median debt | $14,267 | $25,000 |
| Payback | 18.4 yrs | 17.9 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $4,710 | $11,444 |
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 Texas Lutheran University?
Texas Lutheran University, at $24,654 a year after aid versus $26,265 — a gap of $1,611 a year, or $46,086 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 Texas Lutheran University graduates earn more?
Texas Lutheran University graduates report a median $53,863 ten years after entry, $2,641 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 Texas Lutheran University?
Universal Technical Institute-Dallas Fort Worth: its completers carry a median $14,267 in federal loans versus $25,000 at Texas Lutheran University, a difference of $10,733. 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 54% at Texas Lutheran 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.