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Oklahoma Panhandle State University

#3 Best Nursing Colleges in Oklahoma
Public Goodwell, OK · Rural · Southwest · 87% data
A- Value A- Affordability B+ Social Mobility
Graduation Rate
23% F
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$44,933 C+
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$7,413 A-
57% less than the typical college
Enrollment
917
Earnings +10% vs avg
Graduation -59% vs avg
Net Price +-57% vs avg
Mobility Top 16%

Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 35.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $35.7 over 20 years. Ranked #3 in Best Nursing Colleges in Oklahoma.

35.7× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $35.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,029,826.

What The Data Says

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

  2. Graduation of 23% — 59% below the national average.

  3. Social mobility rate of 2.53% — an engine of upward economic mobility.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $35.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Oklahoma Panhandle State University Matters

Oklahoma Panhandle State University is a public college in Goodwell, OK and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

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

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public College
Carnegie Class
Baccalaureate College
Enrollment
917
Setting
Rural
Designations
HSI
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Humanities, Biology & Biomedical

Why students choose Oklahoma Panhandle State University

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Engine of upward mobility
A strong record of moving students up the income ladder
Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Close mentorship
A small, undergraduate-focused community

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

B-
Top 32% overall
C+
Earnings
$44,933 median
A-
Value
6.1× net price
A-
Affordability
$7,413/yr net
F
Graduation
23% graduate
B+
Social Mobility
2.5% climb Q1→Q5
B+
Diversity
0.71 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 just 917 students, Oklahoma Panhandle State University offers a close-knit environment that's perfect for those who thrive in smaller academic settings. Students here often delve into programs like Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Biology & Biomedical, Humanities, and Criminal Justice. This variety allows individuals to find their niche while benefiting from personalized attention from faculty.

When it comes to life after graduation, the average earnings ten years out are around $44,933. This provides a tangible benchmark for students considering their future and the value of their degree. While the graduation rate sits at 23%, it's important to look at the paths available. Many students who enter this university are on a journey toward upward mobility, particularly those who take advantage of the programs offered.

Financially, the situation is relatively manageable. After financial aid, the net price of attending is about $7,413, and the median debt load for graduates stands at $12,500. This means that students can often graduate with a reasonable debt level, especially considering many receive Pell Grants, with a rate of 48%. Those who tend to thrive here are often self-motivated and engaged, ready to take advantage of the supportive community and the resources available to them.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Oklahoma Panhandle State University 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 Oklahoma Panhandle State University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Oklahoma Panhandle State University, located in Goodwell, Oklahoma, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 23%.

Retention Rate
56%
Full-Time Faculty
50%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$5,225
Student–Faculty Ratio
17:1
Diversity Index
0.71
First-Gen Students
41%

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 Oklahoma Panhandle State University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Oklahoma Panhandle State University is $8,673, 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 $7,413. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $7,302 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $12,500 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$8,092
Out-of-State
$8,673
Avg Net Price
$7,413
Median Debt
$12,500
Pell Grant Rate
48%
Federal Loan Rate
64%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$7,302
Family Income $48K–$75K
$15,055

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 Oklahoma Panhandle State University — 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 Oklahoma Panhandle State University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Oklahoma Panhandle State University report median earnings of $44,933, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$39,089
8 Years
$41,985
10 Years
$44,933
Debt-to-Earnings
0.28x
Earning > $25K
59%

Earnings Trajectory

$39,089 6yr $41,985 8yr $44,933 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (19)
28%
100% (19)
28%
100% (19)
28%
100% (19)
28%

How Oklahoma Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation23%Earnings 10yr$45KNet Price$7KRetention56%Median Debt$13KPell Grant Rate48%

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%12.2%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%20.7%MOBILITY2.53%

College ROI Calculator

Is Oklahoma Panhandle State University Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, Oklahoma Panhandle State University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $7,413/year ($29,652 total). Graduates earn $44,933 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,059,478 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,029,826 (35.7× your investment). The median debt is $12,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 23% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$29,652
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,059,478
Net Return
$1,029,826
ROI Multiple
35.7×
Cost Per Year
$7,413
Median Debt
$12,500
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
23%

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 Oklahoma Panhandle State University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Oklahoma Panhandle State University 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 2.53%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 12.2% 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 20.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $56,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
2.53%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
20.7%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
12.2%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$77,307
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Oklahoma Panhandle State University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Oklahoma Panhandle State University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.51, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.05), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.51
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.05
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
6.4%
Support Ratio
1.00
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
$8,330,393
Federal Grants
$721,679
Investment Income
$44,443

Top Programs

The fields Oklahoma Panhandle State University 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 Oklahoma Panhandle State University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Oklahoma Panhandle State University, located in Goodwell, Oklahoma, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 23%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Oklahoma Panhandle State University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Oklahoma Panhandle State University is $8,673, 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 $7,413. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $7,302 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $12,500 in federal student loans.

Is Oklahoma Panhandle State University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Oklahoma Panhandle State University report median earnings of $44,933, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

Does Oklahoma Panhandle State University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Oklahoma Panhandle State University 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 2.53%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 12.2% 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 20.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $56,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Oklahoma Panhandle State University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Oklahoma Panhandle State University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.51, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.05), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Oklahoma Panhandle State University.

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