Is Southern Careers Institute-Austin worth it?

The numbers behind the score

At Southern Careers Institute-Austin, a typical graduate carries about $9,500 in student debt and earns roughly $31,200 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $108 per month, or 4% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.

How earnings compare to a high school diploma

Graduates earn $29 more than the typical working high school graduate in Texas ($31,171) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties each undergraduate program's federal loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.

The national figure is $31,269. The Department of Education uses it instead of the state figure when fewer than half of a school's students come from its state. Against the national figure, graduates here would come out below it.

43% of former students here earned more than the typical high school graduate ten years after entry, by College Scorecard's own measure.

Context, not a federal determination. The benchmarks are the Department of Education's published thresholds (2024 notice, based on 2022 Census data); thresholds under the 2026 rule have not been released yet. The official test looks at each program's graduates four years after completion; our figure is College Scorecard's median for the whole school, ten years after entry. How this works

Program earnings vs. the federal benchmark

Median earnings of working graduates four years after finishing each undergraduate program, next to the benchmark the federal earnings test uses: the typical working high school graduate aged 25–34 in Texas ($31,171).

• Business Operations Support and Assistant Services

  Certificate · 52 working graduates counted

  $28,748

  $2,423 below the benchmark

• Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management

  Certificate · 137 working graduates counted

  $29,294

  $1,877 below the benchmark

• Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services

  Certificate · 1,601 working graduates counted

  $30,215

  $956 below the benchmark

• Health and Medical Administrative Services

  Certificate · 588 working graduates counted

  $31,017

  $154 below the benchmark

• Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services

  Certificate · 104 working graduates counted

  $22,052

  Not rated on 2025 earnings (tipped-job rule)

• Accounting and Related Services

  Certificate · 403 working graduates counted

  $33,645

  $2,474 above the benchmark

• Precision Metal Working

  Certificate · 681 working graduates counted

  $41,564

  $10,393 above the benchmark

• Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians

  Certificate · 268 working graduates counted

  $45,041

  $13,870 above the benchmark

• Computer Software and Media Applications

  Certificate · 93 working graduates counted

  $61,865

  $30,694 above the benchmark

4 other undergraduate programs here have no four-year earnings figure, usually because too few graduates were counted to publish one. That says nothing about how those programs do. See every program on College Scorecard

An estimate, not an official determination. Under a federal rule taking effect July 1, 2027, programs below this benchmark in official results may face limits on federal student loans; Pell Grants are not affected. The official test uses finer program categories, different graduating classes and the Department's own records; its first results are expected in 2027. Programs that train for tipped jobs, such as cosmetology and massage, won't be rated on 2025 earnings, and the Department decides which programs qualify. Earnings: College Scorecard field-of-study data (released Oct 15, 2026). Benchmark: Department of Education published thresholds (2024 notice).

Represent Southern Careers Institute-Austin and think a figure here is wrong? Request a correction and we'll check it against the latest College Scorecard release.

What this means for your family

Southern Careers Institute-Austin is a two year school in Austin, TX. For many families, the real question is not just sticker price but what this path unlocks next, whether that is direct employment, transfer, or a lower cost route into a four year degree.

Common questions about Southern Careers Institute-Austin

The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →