West Texas A & M University
Canyon, Texas · Public · 98.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 49/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
West Texas A&M earns an ROI score of 49 (Below Average Value) driven by a 13.8-year payback period and only modest earnings premium. In-state tuition is a reasonable $9,101, but average net price climbs to $19,487 and totals about $77,948 over four years. Earnings sit at $39,300 six years after entry and $50,741 after ten, which is workable in the Texas Panhandle but doesn't cover debt service quickly: median debt is $19,500 with a monthly payment near $207 and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.496. The brightest spots are the 74-point debt-to-earnings sub-score and a relatively contained debt load. The drag is a 55% completion rate (roughly half the cohort finishes within 150% of normal time) plus a 70% three-year repayment rate, both of which pull the composite down. WTAMU works financially for in-state students who pick stronger-earning majors (engineering, nursing, computer science) and finish on time; for liberal-arts paths the math gets harder fast.
West Texas A & M University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $9,101/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $10,996/yr |
| Average net price | $19,487/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $77,948 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $50,741 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $39,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $19,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $207 |
| Estimated payback period | 13.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 55.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 6,917 |
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: $9,101/year ($10,996/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 $19,487/year, or roughly $77,948 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 $16,525/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $23,439/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $19,500, which works out to about $207 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($39,300) and comes to 0.50, 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 | $16,525 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,218 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $19,268 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $22,454 |
| $110,001+ | $23,439 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-$30,000 pay a net price of $16,525, and those at $30,001-$48,000 pay $17,218. That's ~$66K-$69K over four years, which is uncomfortable on a Pell-eligible budget. Pell plus state grants help, but federal aid alone won't close the gap - students should expect to borrow at or near the $19,500 median to graduate. Major choice matters enormously at this income tier.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households at $48,001-$75,000 pay $19,268 net, and those at $75,001-$110,000 pay $22,454. Total four-year cost lands around $77K-$90K. For middle-income Texas families, in-state pricing keeps WTAMU on the table, but the 13.8-year payback period and 0.496 debt-to-earnings ratio mean the math only works for students aiming at higher-earning majors and finishing in four years.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $23,439 net, or roughly $94K over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at West Texas A & M University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $49,618 | C |
| Registered Nursing | $79,583 | B+ |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $49,241 | C+ |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $51,397 | D |
| Finance and Financial Management | $66,534 | C+ |
| Business Administration and Management | $60,430 | C+ |
| Biology | $43,403 | D |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $51,103 | B |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $71,979 | C+ |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $48,492 | 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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is the standout volume program with 114 graduates and a B+ ROI grade. Median first-year earnings of $74,531 climb to $79,583 by year four against $22,884 median debt - debt-to-earnings of 0.307 is well inside healthy territory. For students who can complete the clinical sequence, this is the clearest high-confidence ROI path at WTAMU and largely keeps the school's overall numbers from looking worse.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering delivers a B+ grade with $78,028 first-year earnings rising to $93,938 by year four. Median debt of $21,125 yields a 0.271 debt-to-earnings ratio - the strongest in the program list. With 32 graduates per year, capacity is small but outcomes are strong. The Texas Panhandle's energy and ag-equipment sectors absorb these grads at solid wages.
Computer Science
Computer science posts the highest first-year earnings on campus at $88,391, with a 0.294 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B+ grade. Cohorts are tiny - just 19 graduates - so program reputation isn't a major regional draw, but individual outcomes are excellent. Remote roles for Dallas, Houston, and Austin tech employers explain much of the earnings strength.
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
This is a cautionary program: 101 graduates, but median first-year earnings of just $26,513 against $23,250 in debt drives a 0.877 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D grade. Earnings recover to $51,397 by year four, suggesting many graduates use the credential as a launchpad to nursing, PA school, or further training. Students enrolling expecting it to be a terminal degree should reconsider.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal arts is the largest cohort at 137 graduates but earns only a C grade. First-year earnings of $40,793 rise to $49,618 with $23,250 debt - debt-to-earnings of 0.57 makes the math tight. This is the program where the school's overall 13.8-year payback period really shows up. Strong students use it as a pre-professional or teaching pathway; drifting students struggle.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 64.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 70.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 65.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 69.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How West Texas A & M 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
| Acceptance rate | 98.7% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 470-580 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 480-590 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-23 |
| Enrollment | 6,917 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 41.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,482 |
WTAMU is essentially open-access with a 98.7% admission rate. SAT mid-ranges run 470-580 math and 480-590 reading; ACT composite is 18-23. That accessibility is a strength for first-generation and Pell-eligible students, but it also helps explain the 55% completion rate - the school admits a wide range of academic preparation, and not everyone makes it through. Prepared students who arrive with a clear major in mind tend to do markedly better than the headline numbers suggest.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Texas A & M University (this school) | 49 | $19,487 | $50,741 |
| University of Alaska Anchorage | 54 | $15,301 | $51,871 |
| University of South Dakota | 50 | $19,858 | $51,926 |
| Angelo State University | 49 | $15,091 | $50,116 |
| Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | 48 | $15,225 | $51,865 |
| Marshall University | 46 | $7,502 | $46,354 |
Who Thrives Here
WTAMU fits in-state Texas students - especially those from the Panhandle and rural West Texas - who want an affordable four-year degree without taking on heavy debt. Pell rate is 41.1%, signaling a heavily working-class student body, and enrollment of 6,917 keeps things mid-sized rather than impersonal. Students aiming at nursing, mechanical engineering, computer science, agriculture, or accounting find legitimate value here. Those drifting through general liberal-arts tracks without a clear earnings plan should look hard at the 13.8-year payback math before enrolling.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for West Texas A & M University is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $19,487 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $50,741 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 13.8 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 to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a three-year loan repayment rate of 70.0% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $19,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $39,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.50, 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.
West Texas A & M University: Common Questions
Is West Texas A & M University worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. West Texas A & M University scores 49/100 on our ROI scale. At $19,487 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $50,741 ten years after entry, so it takes about 13.8 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does West Texas A & M 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 $19,487 a year, or roughly $77,948 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 West Texas A & M University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $50,741 ten years after enrolling, roughly $8,941 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 West Texas A & M 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 13.8 years for West Texas A & M University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do West Texas A & M University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $19,500, against average earnings of $39,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.50. 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 West Texas A & M University?
The six-year graduation rate is 55.0%. 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.