Oklahoma Panhandle State University
Goodwell, Oklahoma · Public
ROI Score: 53/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Oklahoma Panhandle State University scores 53 (Below Average Value) - driven by an exceptionally low completion rate of 20.9%, the single most damaging factor in the ROI calculation. Only about 1 in 5 students who enroll finish a degree. Average 6-year earnings are $33,800, median debt is $12,500, and the payback period is 17.1 years. OPSU's lowest income bracket pays roughly $7,300. However, low cost alone does not overcome a completion rate this poor - students who borrow and do not finish still carry debt with no credential to show for it. Nursing is the programmatic anchor: 155 graduates earn $78,753 at year one and $92,450 at year four (ROI grade B), producing outcomes that are dramatically better than the institution's aggregate. The Scorecard does not report admission rate or test score ranges for OPSU. Pell grant rate of 47.7% indicates a predominantly low-income student body.
How Oklahoma Panhandle State University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- 6-year graduation rate20.9% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- Payback period17.1 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Oklahoma Panhandle State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,092/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $8,673/yr |
| Average net price | $7,413/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $29,652 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $44,933 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $12,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $133 |
| Estimated payback period | 17.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 20.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 917 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $8,092/year ($8,673/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $7,413/year, or roughly $29,652 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $7,302/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $12,500, which works out to about $133 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,800) and comes to 0.37, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $7,302 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | N/A |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,055 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $15,055 |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $7,302 per year. At this cost level, the math can work for students who complete a degree. The critical risk is non-completion: OPSU's 20.9% completion rate means that most low-income students who enroll will not earn a degree. Non-completers still face loan repayment on whatever they borrowed.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The Scorecard does not report net price for the 30001-48000 income bracket. The 48001-75000 and 75001-110000 brackets both pay $15,055 per year - more than double the lowest-income bracket. At this cost level, the institution's aggregate 17.1-year payback period is a factor to weigh. Middle-income families considering OPSU should verify which program their student plans to pursue and check whether it is nursing (strong) or a general academic program (weak).
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The Scorecard does not report net price for the 110001-plus income bracket at OPSU. The institution's low cost makes it an unlikely choice for higher-income families unless geographic proximity or a specific program drives the decision. Nursing at OPSU is the only program with demonstrated earnings strong enough to clearly justify any cost level.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Oklahoma Panhandle State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $92,450 | B |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $50,148 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $41,172 | - |
| Biology | $47,464 | C |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $46,721 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is by far OPSU's strongest program and its primary enrollment driver at 155 graduates. Year-one median earnings are $78,753, year-four $92,450, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.374 (ROI grade B). Median debt of $29,416 is elevated but manageable against a $78k starting salary. The regional Oklahoma nursing labor market supports consistent placement. This program's outcomes stand in sharp contrast to the institution's 20.9% overall completion rate - nursing students who persist graduate into solid earnings trajectories.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (28 graduates) earns $44,397 at year one and $50,148 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.563 (ROI grade C). Median debt of $25,000 against $44k year-one earnings is a manageable burden. Students pursuing regional business careers in the Oklahoma Panhandle agricultural and energy sectors may find the credential sufficient for local employment.
Biology
Biology (14 graduates) earns $38,440 at year one and $47,464 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.658 (ROI grade C). Median debt of $25,290 against these earnings levels represents a meaningful repayment burden. Biology graduates at OPSU likely enter health-related support roles, agriculture, or pursue graduate education. The small graduate count limits the reliability of these figures.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 67.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 70.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 56.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 60.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Oklahoma Panhandle State University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 917 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 47.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,225 |
The Scorecard does not report an admission rate or standardized test score ranges for Oklahoma Panhandle State University. Based on institutional type - a small rural public with open or near-open access - admission is expected to be broadly accessible. Prospective students should contact the admissions office directly for current requirements.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
OPSU's completion rate is 20.9%.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma Panhandle State University (this school) | 53 | $7,413 | $44,933 |
| Montana State University-Northern | 55 | $12,664 | $49,505 |
| Mayville State University | 52 | $11,456 | $47,828 |
| Wright State University-Lake Campus | 48 | $11,081 | $49,500 |
| University of Central Oklahoma | 38 | $18,309 | $48,351 |
| Cameron University | 20 | $10,912 | $40,118 |
Who Thrives Here
OPSU is a small rural public institution in the Oklahoma Panhandle enrolling 917 students. The Scorecard does not report admission rate or test scores. The 47.7% Pell grant rate indicates that roughly half of students receive federal need-based aid. Students who complete the nursing program achieve strong outcomes; students in other programs face a much weaker earnings picture.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Oklahoma Panhandle State University is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $7,413 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $44,933 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 17.1 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What it has going for it: manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: its 20.9% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 70.4% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $12,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Oklahoma Panhandle State University: Common Questions
Is Oklahoma Panhandle State University worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Oklahoma Panhandle State University scores 53/100 on our ROI scale. At $7,413 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $44,933 ten years after entry, so it takes about 17.1 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Oklahoma Panhandle State University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $7,413 a year, or roughly $29,652 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Oklahoma Panhandle State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $44,933 ten years after enrolling, roughly $3,133 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Oklahoma Panhandle State University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 17.1 years for Oklahoma Panhandle State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Oklahoma Panhandle State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $12,500, against average earnings of $33,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Oklahoma Panhandle State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 20.9%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.