Understanding the Cost of Attendance at the University of the Southwest
Planning for college expenses is a crucial part of the application process. Understanding the costs and available aid is the first step in managing college finances. Knowing what a school costs is Step #1 in managing college costs. By learning more about expenses and aid, you’re already on the right path to managing college costs.
Decoding the Cost of Attendance
The "Cost of Attendance" is the total amount of money the average student has to pay, WITHOUT any financial aid, to attend a particular school. Think of it as a school’s sticker price. It encompasses tuition, room and board, books, and other expenses.
Tuition Costs at the University of the Southwest
In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at University of the Southwest is $16,470, which is $−8,105 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,575). The cost of tuition at University of the Southwest is $−8,105 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,575). In 2023, the cost of tuition at University of the Southwest was $16,470. NOTE: University of the Southwest reserves the right to make changes, without notice, in tuition, course fees, and charges as deemed necessary. $875/credit hour.
Average Net Price After Financial Aid
In 2023 University of the Southwest had an average net price - the price paid after factoring in grants and loans - of $20,438. The Net Price is the total cost minus the total aid given. In other words, this is the price you have to pay to the school out of pocket. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of University of the Southwest grew by 0.463%. This chart compares the average net price of University of the Southwest (in red) with that of other similar universities.
Other Student Expenses
The average yearly cost of room and board at University of the Southwest was of $12,465 in 2023. The cost of room and board did not change between 2022 and 2023. This chart compares the average student costs at University of the Southwest (in red) with that of similar universities.
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Understanding Financial Aid at the University of the Southwest
Financial aid awards are made based on the Cost of Attendance (COA) for the award year and the results of your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The COA includes both direct costs (charges) from USW, as well as estimated additional expenses you may personally incur while pursuing your degree at USW. The COA represented below is based on enrollment noted per semester for the entire academic year. If you attend as a less than full-time student, or if you begin the school year after August, your COA may be decreased to reflect your enrollment status. See our Net Price Calculator for an interactive estimate of your individualized cost of attendance.
Grants and Scholarships: The Best Kind of Aid
We’re focusing on grants and scholarships first because they’re the most important forms of financial aid. Grants and scholarships are better than loans because students don’t ever have to pay them back.
Financial Aid by Income Level
92% of undergraduate students at University of the Southwest received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a decline of 8% with respect to 2022, when 100% of undergraduate students received financial aid. This chart compares the average award discount at University of the Southwest (in red) with that of other similar universities. The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.
Student Loans: Minimizing Debt
Aside from grants, the other major way to pay for college is with student loans. The more student loan money you borrow, the more debt you’ll end up with after graduation. Ideally, you want to minimize your student debt as much as possible.
Student Loan Default Rate
In 2022 the default rate for borrower's at University of the Southwest was 0%, which represents 0 out of the 362 total borrowers. A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.
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Calculating Your Net Price
Finally, we get to the bottom line: what will University of the Southwest actually cost YOU? The Net Price is the total cost minus the total aid given. In other words, this is the price you have to pay to the school out of pocket. We'll cover two ways to get your Net Price for University of the Southwest - the fast way, and the precise way.
Using the Net Price Calculator
Most schools have an updated Net Price calculator available. Once you have a Net Price estimate, you’ll want to figure out whether your family can afford to pay University of the Southwest tuition and costs.
Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
Once again, the Net Price is the total cost of attending, minus the aid you can expect to get (grants and scholarships). The US government has come up with a standardized way to calculate how much a typical family can afford to pay without help. Colleges use this number as a guideline to decide how much aid to give you, but it's just a guideline. So we're going to calculate your EFC and compare it to University of the Southwest's Net Price. If the Net Price is higher than the EFC, the school will cost more than you can typically afford. This tool will calculate your Expected Family Contribution, or EFC.
Assessing the Value of the University of the Southwest
To determine the value of University of the Southwest, we're going to rely on reputable ranking lists. As a regional school, University of the Southwest may not be a household name nationwide, but it's known to people in the local area as a solid school. Compared to some other regional schools, University of the Southwest didn't appear on our best value lists. This might be because the net price is higher than for other schools of similar reputation. This isn't the end of the world - you can likely still afford University of the Southwest by taking out loans, earning scholarships, or working part-time. Overall, University of the Southwest is a decent value, and going to college here will likely pay off over time.
Admissions and Enrollment
University of the Southwest received 282 undergraduate applications in 2019, which represents a 5.22% annual growth. Out of those 282 applicants, 128 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 45.4% acceptance rate. There were 1,034 students enrolled at University of the Southwest in 2023. 12% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications. University of the Southwest has an overall enrollment yield of 69.5%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.
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Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at University of the Southwest in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 1,034 students. The full-time enrollment at University of the Southwest is 507 and the part-time enrollment is 527. This means that 49% of students enrolled at University of the Southwest are enrolled full-time compared with 68.2% at similar Masters Colleges and Universities. This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at University of the Southwest (in red) compares to similar universities.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
The enrolled student population at University of the Southwest is 41% White, 36.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Black or African American, 1.64% American Indian or Alaska Native, 1.55% Asian, 1.26% Two or More Races, and 0.387% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Masters Colleges and Universities is 50.1% White, 17.7% Hispanic or Latino, and 13.4% Black or African American.
Graduation Rates and Student Retention
Graduation Rates
A school’s graduation rate can indicate how likely a student is to complete their degree. At University of the Southwest, over the last five years 23% of students earned their bachelor’s degree within six years of enrolling. Students from different demographic backgrounds often graduate at different rates, so it can be helpful to look beyond the overall graduation rate. This chart shows how students of different races and ethnicities fare earning their degrees at University of the Southwest.
Student Retention
Student retention, or how often students return to continue their degree after completing their first year, is another helpful indicator. Over the last five years, at University of the Southwest, about 58% of full-time students returned the following fall to continue their degree. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at University of the Southwest was 53%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Masters Colleges and Universities (74%), University of the Southwest had a retention rate lower than its peers.
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