Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Weatherford, Oklahoma · Public
ROI Score: 46/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford scores ROI 46 (Below Average Value) - a regional public with 3,514 undergraduates in western Oklahoma. Average 6-year earnings are $39,400, reaching a median $45,744 at 10 years. The payback period of 18.4 years is the school's most damning metric; the completion rate of 39.7% means fewer than four in ten students who enroll graduate. The school does not report admissions selectivity data. Pharmacy is the surprising bright spot: 67 graduates earn $115,284 at year one - PharmD graduates entering a licensed profession with immediate high earnings. Nursing (222 graduates) is the volume anchor with strong ROI grades. Health-related programs drive the school's ROI above what the general student body outcomes would suggest. Non-health programs face earnings in the $40,000-$50,000 range against a 39.7% completion rate.
How Southwestern Oklahoma 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 rate39.7% - 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 period18.4 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,469/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $8,499/yr |
| Average net price | $14,459/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $57,836 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $45,744 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $39,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $15,954 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $169 |
| Estimated payback period | 18.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 39.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 3,514 |
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: $8,469/year ($8,499/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $14,459/year, or roughly $57,836 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 $10,987/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $19,595/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $15,954, which works out to about $169 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($39,400) and comes to 0.41, 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 | $10,987 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $10,094 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $12,069 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,500 |
| $110,001+ | $19,595 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $10,987 per year - low for any school type. Over four years that is roughly $43,948. Against the 39.7% completion rate, this cost is nearly irrelevant if a student does not finish. For nursing or pharmacy students who complete, the math is very favorable: $10,987/year in costs against $75,846+ in first-year earnings.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 30,001-48,000 bracket pays $10,094 - slightly less than the lowest bracket. The 48,001-75,000 bracket rises to $12,069, and the 75,001-110,000 bracket jumps to $17,500. The slope steepens through the upper middle range.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $19,595 per year. Over four years that is roughly $78,380. At this cost level, even a 18.4-year institutional payback average is manageable for pharmacy or nursing graduates, who individually clear the investment in under 2 years of post-graduation earnings. For non-health majors at this price, the 18.4-year average payback period is a real warning.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Southwestern Oklahoma State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $89,549 | B+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $51,657 | C+ |
| Pharmacy | $115,284 | A |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $50,704 | B+ |
| Teacher Education | $42,538 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $45,982 | C+ |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $47,607 | C |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $50,716 | C |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $55,560 | - |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | $50,937 | C+ |
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.
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is SWOSU's standout program: 67 graduates earn a median $115,284 at year one - PharmD-level earnings reflecting immediate licensed professional employment in hospital, retail, and clinical pharmacy settings. The debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.141 (ROI grade A) with $16,250 median debt. This is not a general undergraduate degree; pharmacy is a doctoral program (PharmD), and the earnings reflect licensed professional entry rather than undergraduate outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is SWOSU's largest program by volume with 222 graduates per year and the clearest undergraduate ROI story. Median 1-year earnings of $75,846 and 4-year earnings of $89,549 reflect western Oklahoma's consistent RN demand, where rural hospital systems face persistent shortages. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.317 (ROI grade B+) with $24,027 median debt is well-controlled. Nursing at SWOSU provides access to licensed clinical practice at public-school pricing in a state where nursing demand consistently exceeds supply.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration produces 127 graduates annually - SWOSU's largest non-health program. Median 1-year earnings of $43,762 and 4-year earnings of $51,657 reflect western Oklahoma's modest salary environment for business generalists. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.511 (ROI grade C+) with $22,356 median debt is functional but not a strong ROI story.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 78.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 79.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 56.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 64.0% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Southwestern Oklahoma 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 | 3,514 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 38.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,875 |
This school does not report admissions selectivity data. Oklahoma public universities generally operate with broad access policies. Students should review program-specific admission requirements, particularly for the pharmacy program which has its own competitive selection criteria within SWOSU.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
SWOSU's strength is its healthcare professional programs; its institutional weakness is the 39.7% completion rate across the general student body.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Oklahoma State University (this school) | 46 | $14,459 | $45,744 |
| Clayton State University | 46 | $8,365 | $49,179 |
| Wayne State College | 46 | $15,360 | $47,075 |
| Western Oregon University | 45 | $17,237 | $51,815 |
| University of Central Oklahoma | 38 | $18,309 | $48,351 |
| Cameron University | 20 | $10,912 | $40,118 |
Who Thrives Here
SWOSU fits students who are Oklahoma residents, committed to health professions or education, and need rural-campus pricing. This school does not report admissions selectivity data. With 38.9% Pell recipients, it serves a substantial low-income population. The 39.7% completion rate is the school's most urgent structural problem - nearly two-thirds of enrolled students do not graduate. Students entering pharmacy, nursing, or health sciences have much better completion rates than the institutional average; the general student body drags the number down.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Southwestern Oklahoma State University is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $14,459 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $45,744 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 18.4 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: weak earnings relative to cost, its 39.7% graduation rate, a long payback period.
Median debt of $15,954 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $39,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.41, 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.
Southwestern Oklahoma State University: Common Questions
Is Southwestern Oklahoma State University worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Southwestern Oklahoma State University scores 46/100 on our ROI scale. At $14,459 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $45,744 ten years after entry, so it takes about 18.4 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Southwestern Oklahoma 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 $14,459 a year, or roughly $57,836 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 Southwestern Oklahoma State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $45,744 ten years after enrolling, roughly $3,944 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 Southwestern Oklahoma 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 18.4 years for Southwestern Oklahoma State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Southwestern Oklahoma State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $15,954, against average earnings of $39,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.41. 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 Southwestern Oklahoma State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 39.7%. 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.