Is Frank Phillips College Worth It?

Frank Phillips College gives you a low-cost entry point with a modest payoff. Median debt sits at $9,500, less than one year of net price, so you won't graduate deeply underwater. But median earnings ten years out land at $37,179, which is close to what a full-time job at Texas wages already pays without a credential. The financial return here is thin, and the 33.5% graduation rate is the biggest reason.

Both listed top-earning programs are certificates, not degrees. Precision Metal Working and Practical/Vocational Nursing both pay around $36,000, and in the Borger area those are real jobs tied to oil-and-gas services and regional healthcare. If you enroll for one of these certificates, finish it, and go straight to work, the math works: low debt, quick completion, a clear local employer base. That's the strongest financial case this school offers.

The risk is completion. Two out of three students here don't graduate, and if you leave with debt but no credential, you carry the cost without the earnings bump. There's no bachelor-level program data listed, so treat this as a certificate and short-program school, not a bridge to a high-paying four-year track unless you plan to transfer.

The net price tiers are unusual: you pay slightly more as your family income rises, from about $9,600 in the $30-48k band up to $12,768 above $110k. Lower-income families don't get the steep discount you'd expect, so if you're near the bottom of the income range, budget for roughly $10,800 a year out of pocket.

This school fits you if you want a specific vocational certificate, plan to work locally, and will actually finish. Look elsewhere if you're aiming for a bachelor's-driven career or high lifetime earnings.