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Amarillo College

Public Amarillo, TX · Urban · Southwest · 87% data
A Value A Affordability B- Social Mobility
Graduation Rate
31% F
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$41,302 C
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$4,600 A
73% less than the typical college
Enrollment
7,399
Earnings +1% vs avg
Graduation -45% vs avg
Net Price +-73% vs avg
Mobility Top 30%

Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 55.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $55.6 over 20 years.

55.6× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $55.6 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,003,832.

What The Data Says

  1. A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Graduation of 31% — 45% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $55.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Amarillo College Matters

Amarillo College is a public community college in Amarillo, TX and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by an above-average alumni network. The result: durable upward mobility for the students it enrolls.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public Community College
Carnegie Class
Associate's College
Enrollment
7,399
Setting
Urban
Designations
HSI
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Humanities, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT

Why students choose Amarillo College

Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

B-
Top 34% overall
C
Earnings
$41,302 median
A
Value
9.0× net price
A
Affordability
$4,600/yr net
F
Graduation
31% graduate
B-
Social Mobility
2.0% climb Q1→Q5
C+
Diversity
0.62 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With an enrollment of about 7,400 students, Amarillo College is a solid choice for those looking to jumpstart their careers in practical fields like Health Professions, Business & Marketing, and Computer Science. Its diverse offerings allow students to gain hands-on experience and skills that align well with local job markets. This college suits individuals who appreciate a community-oriented environment and prefer a pathway that leads directly to employment.

Graduates from Amarillo College see an average earnings of $41,302 ten years after completing their studies. This figure reflects a substantial return on investment, especially considering the college's affordable net price of $4,600. Even for those who may need extra support, the 44% Pell Grant rate suggests that many students find the financial assistance necessary to make their education accessible. This financial aspect can ease the burden that often comes with pursuing higher education.

When it comes to costs, the median debt for graduates stands at $15,000, which is relatively manageable compared to national averages. Students who thrive here often demonstrate resilience and a strong desire to build a better future for themselves. Amarillo College caters well to those looking for a practical, hands-on education that leads directly to career opportunities, all while keeping financial stress to a minimum.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Amarillo College is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Amarillo College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Amarillo, Texas, Amarillo College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 31%.

Retention Rate
68%
Full-Time Faculty
100%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$6,155
Student–Faculty Ratio
19:1
Diversity Index
0.62
First-Gen Students
49%

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Amarillo College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Amarillo College is $4,704, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $4,600. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,856 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $15,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$2,136
Out-of-State
$4,704
Avg Net Price
$4,600
Median Debt
$15,000
Pell Grant Rate
44%
Federal Loan Rate
12%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$3,856
Family Income $30K–$48K
$4,129
Family Income $48K–$75K
$5,556
Family Income $110K+
$8,143

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Amarillo College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Amarillo College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Amarillo College report median earnings of $41,302, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$34,698
8 Years
$38,075
10 Years
$41,302
Debt-to-Earnings
0.36x
Earning > $25K
54%

Earnings Trajectory

$34,698 6yr $38,075 8yr $41,302 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (145)
15%
100% (145)
15%
100% (145)
15%
100% (145)
15%

How Amarillo Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation31%Earnings 10yr$41KNet Price$5KRetention68%Median Debt$15KPell Grant Rate44%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$4K$0-30K$4K$30-48K$6K$48-75K$8K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%16.2%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%12.0%MOBILITY1.95%

College ROI Calculator

Is Amarillo College Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Amarillo College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $4,600/year ($18,400 total). Graduates earn $41,302 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,022,232 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,003,832 (55.6× your investment). The median debt is $15,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 31% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$18,400
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,022,232
Net Return
$1,003,832
ROI Multiple
55.6×
Cost Per Year
$4,600
Median Debt
$15,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
31%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Amarillo College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Amarillo College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.95%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 16.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 12% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $58,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.95%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
12.0%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
16.2%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$79,481
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Amarillo College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Amarillo College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.06, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.07). Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.06
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.07
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
7.2%
Support Ratio
0.98
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Endowment
$4,825,932
Investment Income
$-330,029

Top Programs

The fields Amarillo College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Amarillo College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Amarillo, Texas, Amarillo College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 31%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Amarillo College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Amarillo College is $4,704, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $4,600. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,856 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $15,000 in federal student loans.

Is Amarillo College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Amarillo College report median earnings of $41,302, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

Does Amarillo College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Amarillo College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.95%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 16.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 12% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $58,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Amarillo College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Amarillo College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.06, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.07). Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Amarillo College.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys