The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, Texas · Public · 94.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 67/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
UT Permian Basin scores 67 (Fair Value) on the CampusROI scale. The earnings story is solid - $44,800 average six-year earnings on a $12,723 net price - but completion is the central problem: only 39.7% of enrolled students graduate, placing the completion sub-score at just 20 out of 100. Fewer than 2 in 5 students who enroll finish their degree, a figure that fundamentally limits the institution's overall ROI. The 9.1-year payback period reflects that drag. Median debt is $17,750 with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.396 - workable for graduates, but the 26.8% of borrowers who are not making progress on repayment at 3 years signals real hardship downstream. The program mix is shaped by UTPB's geography in the Permian Basin oil region: Petroleum Engineering (25 graduates, $61,299 year-one, B grade) and Mechanical Engineering (42 graduates, $65,167 year-one, B+ grade) are the high-wage anchors. Registered Nursing (43 graduates) achieves A-grade ROI with $71,681 year-one earnings and $13,954 median debt. Business Administration is the largest program at 88 graduates but earns only a C+ grade. For students in STEM and health fields who complete, UTPB delivers genuine value. The university's most pressing accountability gap is the 60% of enrolled students who never collect that value.
How The University of Texas Permian Basin 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.
The University of Texas Permian Basin
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $9,236/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $21,504/yr |
| Average net price | $12,723/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $50,892 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $56,073 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $44,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $17,750 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $188 |
| Estimated payback period | 9.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 39.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 3,911 |
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: $9,236/year ($21,504/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 $12,723/year, or roughly $50,892 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 $11,930/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $17,810/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $17,750, which works out to about $188 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($44,800) and comes to 0.40, 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 | $11,930 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $10,491 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $12,823 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $13,294 |
| $110,001+ | $17,810 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $11,930 per year at UTPB. The 30001-48000 bracket actually drops to $10,491, the lowest on the income schedule. For low-income students, the net price is higher than expected given the public tuition of $9,236, suggesting that aid packages at this institution do not fully cover indirect costs. A four-year total of roughly $42,000 at the bottom bracket is a real commitment for students without family resources.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $12,823 per year and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $13,294 - both above the 0-30000 tier, reflecting the step-down in need-based aid. Middle-income families face a total four-year cost of approximately $51,000-53,000. Against $44,800 average six-year earnings and a 9.1-year payback period, the value case for middle-income families depends almost entirely on program choice. Nursing and engineering students have a clear positive ROI; students in social sciences and business face a longer payback horizon.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,001 and above pay $17,810 per year - the highest net price bracket. At this level, UTPB's total cost approaches $71,000 for four years. The payback period of 9.1 years against $44,800 average earnings is unattractive at full price. Higher-income families considering UTPB are likely doing so for geographic or program-specific reasons. The engineering and nursing programs remain financially rational at this price point; general business or liberal arts do not.
Earnings by Major
Top 7 most popular majors at The University of Texas Permian Basin with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $46,009 | C+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $51,109 | C+ |
| Registered Nursing | $71,681 | A |
| Mechanical Engineering | $65,167 | B+ |
| Petroleum Engineering | $61,299 | B |
| Communication and Media Studies | $60,805 | C+ |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $53,109 | B+ |
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
Registered Nursing delivers A-grade ROI at UTPB: 43 graduates, $71,681 median year-one earnings, $13,954 median debt, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.195. Four-year earnings data is not reported by Scorecard for this program. The Permian Basin healthcare market is in sustained growth, and graduates enter a labor market with strong demand. Monthly payments on $13,954 debt run roughly $148 - easily serviceable against a $71k first-year salary. This is the strongest single program at the institution by ROI grade.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering (42 graduates) earns $65,167 at year one with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.288 (B+ grade). Four-year earnings are not reported in Scorecard data. The Permian Basin economy creates natural placement opportunities for mechanical engineers in energy sector operations. Median debt of $18,750 is manageable against a $65k starting salary.
Petroleum Engineering
Petroleum Engineering (25 graduates) earns $61,299 at year one with median debt of $24,500 and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.400 (B grade). Four-year earnings are not reported in Scorecard data. The debt load is higher than the nursing or mechanical engineering programs, but against $61k year-one earnings, it is manageable. Petroleum engineering is a cyclical field; graduates should consider energy market volatility in long-run planning.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is UTPB's largest program at 88 graduates, with $51,109 median year-one earnings and a C+ ROI grade. Median debt of $23,875 produces a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.467. Four-year earnings data is not reported by Scorecard. The C+ grade reflects adequate but not strong return on a net price that runs $12,723 per year. Students choosing Business at UTPB should recognize that the earnings trajectory will depend heavily on industry sector and regional job market conditions in West Texas.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 67.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 73.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 65.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 68.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How The University of Texas Permian Basin’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
| Acceptance rate | 94.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 440-560 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 470-570 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-23 |
| Enrollment | 3,911 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 38.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,381 |
At 94.9%, UTPB's admission rate makes it effectively open-access. The SAT Math 440-560 and Reading 470-570 ranges and ACT 17-23 composite describe a student body that spans a wide range of academic preparation. Test scores are not a meaningful barrier here. The more consequential filter is persistence: with only 39.7% of students graduating, UTPB's completion data is the most important number for prospective students to evaluate. Strong motivation and a clear program-to-career connection are more predictive of outcomes than academic credentials at this institution.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
UTPB's earnings premium sub-score of 83 is solid, indicating graduates who finish earn meaningfully above the cost of attendance.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Texas Permian Basin (this school) | 67 | $12,723 | $56,073 |
| University of Arkansas Grantham | 69 | $8,370 | $63,496 |
| University of Hawaii-West Oahu | 67 | $10,327 | $52,075 |
| Colorado State University Pueblo | 64 | $10,051 | $55,563 |
| Angelo State University | 49 | $15,091 | $50,116 |
| Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | 48 | $15,225 | $51,865 |
Who Thrives Here
UTPB admits 94.9% of applicants, operating close to open-access. SAT mid-ranges are 440-560 Math and 470-570 Reading; ACT composite runs 17-23, indicating a broad academic preparation range. Enrollment is 3,911 undergraduates, with 38.7% receiving Pell grants. The student body draws heavily from the Permian Basin region, including working adults connected to the energy industry. Students seeking engineering or nursing degrees tied to the regional economy have natural pathways here. Students choosing softer majors - Psychology (129 graduates), Business (88 graduates) - face a more difficult ROI case given the high net price relative to expected near-term earnings in this region.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
The University of Texas Permian Basin is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $12,723 a year after aid ($50,892 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $56,073 a decade out, the cost takes about 9.1 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: its 39.7% graduation rate.
Median debt of $17,750 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $44,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40, 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.
The University of Texas Permian Basin: Common Questions
Is The University of Texas Permian Basin worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether The University of Texas Permian Basin is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 67/100 on our ROI scale. At $12,723 a year after aid ($50,892 over four years) against $56,073 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 9.1 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does The University of Texas Permian Basin 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 $12,723 a year, or roughly $50,892 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 The University of Texas Permian Basin graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $56,073 ten years after enrolling, roughly $14,273 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 The University of Texas Permian Basin?
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 9.1 years for The University of Texas Permian Basin. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do The University of Texas Permian Basin graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $17,750, against average earnings of $44,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40. 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 The University of Texas Permian Basin?
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.