More selective than 0% of Oklahoma colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2023 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $23,334. College Scorecard.
Higher than 54% of Oklahoma colleges we cover and 24% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 52% of Oklahoma colleges we cover and 28% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
SWOSU acceptance rate & admissions
Of 1,689 applicants, Southwestern Oklahoma State University admitted 1,689 and 736 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2023. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
SWOSU tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Oklahoma residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What SWOSU costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Southwestern Oklahoma State University took 4.5 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Oklahoma. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $10,987 | $49,222 | 3.7 years |
| $30–48k | $10,094 | $45,221 | 3.4 years |
| $48–75k | $12,069 | $54,069 | 4.1 years |
| $75–110k | $17,500 | $78,400 | 5.9 years |
| $110k+ | $19,595 | $87,786 | 6.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (23% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($45,744) minus $32,429 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OK (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $13,315 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
SWOSU majors, earnings & careers
Southwestern Oklahoma State University offers 37 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Health & Medicine · 10
- Humanities & Languages · 6
- Science & Math · 5
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 5
- Education · 3
- Engineering · 3
- Arts & Design · 2
- Business & Finance · 1
- Communications & Media · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at SWOSU
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $89,549 | $24,027 |
| Engineering Technologies / Technicians | $64,751 | $20,035 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | $53,668 | $18,700 |
| Business Administration | $51,657 | $22,356 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | $50,937 | $19,757 |
| Health Administration | $50,716 | $27,063 |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $50,561 | — |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | $47,607 | $25,000 |
Quick list of all 37 majors
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)—
- Biology—
- Business Administration$51,657
- Chemistry—
- Communications—
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Criminal Justice—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$42,538
- Education (Subject Teaching)$47,607
- Engineering Physics—
- Engineering Technologies / Technicians$64,751
- English—
- Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Health Administration$50,716
- Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other$53,668
- Health Sciences—
- History—
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$45,982
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Mathematics—
- Medical Laboratory Science—
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$50,561
- Music—
- Nursing$89,549
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management$50,937
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$46,983
- Public Health—
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences—
- Social Work—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Special Education—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Weatherford
2 bedrooms $916.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 30 inches of rain a year, 6 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Custer County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Custer County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare SWOSU with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Oklahoma by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Oklahoma State University | 100% | $14,459 | 40% | $45,744 | This school |
| Northeastern State University | 100% | $12,710 | 35% | $45,379 | |
| Southeastern Oklahoma State University | 76% | $8,039 | 32% | $45,079 | |
| Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology | — | $10,999 | 42% | $45,634 | |
| East Central University | 58% | $8,683 | 34% | $44,962 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Southwestern Oklahoma State University would cost you $1,749 more per year than Northeastern State University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, mostly from a higher estimate for personal & travel costs (+$4,598).
- Southwestern Oklahoma State University gives aided families $34 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Oklahoma resident | SWOSU | NSU | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $8,469 | $7,810 | +$659 |
| Books & supplies | $1,218 | $1,000 | +$218 |
| Housing & meals | $7,410 | $10,494 | −$3,084 |
| Personal & travel | $7,618 | $3,020 | +$4,598 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$1,381 | −$773 | −$608 |
| Sticker price | $23,334 | $21,551 | +$1,783 |
| Average grants | −$8,875 | −$8,841 | −$34 |
| You pay | $14,459 | $12,710 | +$1,749 |
“+” means SWOSU costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about SWOSU
What is the SWOSU acceptance rate?
Southwestern Oklahoma State University accepts 100% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 1,689 of 1,689 applicants were admitted.
How much does Southwestern Oklahoma State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $23,334 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $14,459 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $10,987 and families earning $110k+ pay $19,595.
How much do SWOSU graduates earn?
Former Southwestern Oklahoma State University students earn a median $45,744 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the SWOSU graduation rate?
40% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 68% return for their second year.
How long does a SWOSU degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Southwestern Oklahoma State University costs about $54,069 after grants ($12,069 a year for 4.5 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $45,744 ten years after starting, $13,315 more than high school graduates in Oklahoma ($32,429), so the cost is repaid in 4.1 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is SWOSU the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing SWOSU with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Southwestern Oklahoma State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southwestern-oklahoma-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).