Head-to-head comparison
Western Texas College vs Arlington Career Institute: which has better ROI?
Option A Snyder, TX
Western Texas College
- Net price / year
- $3,562
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,508
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Arlington, TX
Arlington Career Institute
- Net price / year
- $24,633
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,674
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Western Texas College comes closer — median earnings $42,508 against a $7,124 total, vs $36,674 at Arlington Career Institute. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Western Texas College | Arlington Career Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,562 | $24,633 |
| Total net cost | $7,124 | $98,532 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,508 | $36,674 |
| Median debt | $7,515 | $8,347 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$124,164 | -$332,252 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Western Texas College or Arlington Career Institute?
Western Texas College, at $3,562 a year after aid versus $24,633 — a gap of $21,071 a year, or $91,408 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 Western Texas College or Arlington Career Institute graduates earn more?
Western Texas College graduates report a median $42,508 ten years after entry, $5,834 more than the $36,674 at Arlington Career Institute. 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, Western Texas College or Arlington Career Institute?
Western Texas College: its completers carry a median $7,515 in federal loans versus $8,347 at Arlington Career Institute, a difference of $832. 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?
72% of students finish at Arlington Career Institute, against 53% at Western Texas 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.