At $27,310/yr net price, Southwestern College graduates earn $55,646/yr within 10 years of enrollment, which is $21,646/yr above the median for high school graduates.
Cost vs. Outcomes
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Net Price (per year) | $27,310 |
| Estimated 4-Year Cost | $109,240 |
| Median Earnings (10yr post-entry) | $55,646/yr |
| Earnings Premium vs. HS Diploma | +$21,646/yr |
| Estimated Break-Even | 5 years |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 33.5% |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $25,000 |
What You'll Actually Pay
Average net price by family income
| Family Income | Estimated Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $24,537/yr |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $26,844/yr |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $24,641/yr |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $27,101/yr |
| $110,001+ | $31,218/yr |
Earnings by Major
Top programs ranked by median earnings
| Program | Level | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other. | Bachelor | $61,516 | |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Master | $60,523 | $37,287 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | Bachelor | $59,169 | |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | Bachelor | $54,713 | |
| Accounting and Related Services. | Bachelor | $49,840 | |
| Special Education and Teaching. | Master | $49,270 | |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Bachelor | $49,214 | $22,584 |
| Curriculum and Instruction. | Master | $49,019 | |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections. | Bachelor | $48,432 | |
| Human Resources Management and Services. | Bachelor | $47,260 |
The Risk Factor
33.5% of students at Southwestern College graduate within 6 years. Fewer than half of students complete their degree. If you don't graduate, the financial investment may not pay off.
Analysis
Southwestern College asks you to pay roughly $27,000 a year against median earnings of about $56,000 ten years out. That return is mixed. The earnings are decent for a small private college in rural Kansas, and median debt of $25,000 is manageable against those wages. But two numbers should worry you: only a third of students graduate, and barely half come back for a second year. If you leave without the degree, you keep the debt and lose the earnings payoff.
Your major decides everything here. Computer and information sciences graduates clear $61,000, and nursing sits close behind near $59,000. Those two pay off. Business and marketing land in the mid-$50,000s, still workable. Accounting and business administration trail at under $50,000, which is a thinner margin against the same yearly cost. Business administration does come with lower debt, around $22,600, which softens the lower pay.
The specific risk is completion. A 53% retention rate means the biggest financial danger isn't the price tag, it's paying for a year or two and never finishing. Debt without a degree is the worst outcome, and the odds of it here are real.
The net price tiers are close to flat. Families earning under $30,000 pay about $24,500, nearly the same as families making $75,000-$110,000. If your household earns over $110,000, you pay the most at roughly $31,000. Lower income does not buy much of a discount here.
This school fits you if you're set on nursing or computer science and confident you'll finish. If you're undecided, or shaky on committing four years, the completion odds make Southwestern a gamble that a cheaper public option would let you take with less on the line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Southwestern College worth the cost?
Southwestern College's ROI is mixed, with graduates earning $55,646 ten years after enrollment against a net price of $27,310 annually. The 33.5% graduation rate creates significant risk that students may accumulate debt without completing their degree.
What are the best paying majors at Southwestern College?
Computer and Information Sciences leads earnings at $61,516, followed by Business Administration at $60,523 and Nursing at $59,169. These programs offer the strongest financial returns compared to the college's overall graduate earnings of $55,646.
How much debt do Southwestern College graduates have?
Southwestern College graduates carry a median debt of $25,000, which is manageable compared to the $55,646 median earnings ten years post-graduation. However, the low 33.5% graduation rate means many students may accumulate debt without finishing their degree.
What is the graduation rate at Southwestern College and does it affect ROI?
Only 33.5% of students graduate from Southwestern College, creating substantial financial risk for the majority who don't complete their degrees. This low completion rate significantly undermines the college's value proposition despite reasonable debt levels for those who do graduate.