Public · Community college
Western Oklahoma State College
Altus, Oklahoma · Remote town
- 11%
- Transfer rate
- $7,267
- Avg net price
- 31%
- Grad / completion
- $38,248
- Median earnings
Western Oklahoma State College is a public associate-granting institution in Altus, Oklahoma (remote town setting), enrolling 815 undergraduates. It is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Admission is open to all applicants.
About Altus, Oklahoma
Altus is a city in and the county seat of Jackson County, Oklahoma, United States. The community was originally called "Frazer", a settlement of about 50 people on Bitter Creek that served as a trading post on the Great Western Cattle Trail. Cowboys driving herds northward often stopped to buy buttermilk from John McClearan. Great Plains State Park, on Tom Steed Reservoir, about 30 miles (48 km) east-northeast. (Wikipedia)
- Setting
- Remote town
- Highest degree offered
- Associate
- Nearest big city
- 117 miles to Oklahoma City, OK
- To the ocean
- 422 miles
- Nearest airport
- 53 miles to Lawton Fort Sill (LAW)
How Western Oklahoma State College compares
Higher than 14% · #58 of 67 in Oklahoma
Higher than 16%
Higher than 61% · #20 of 61 in Oklahoma
Cheaper than 81% · #20 cheapest of 62 in Oklahoma
Lower than 57%
Lower than 29%
Larger than 70%
Percentiles compare Western Oklahoma State College with the nation's 3,519 two-year and certificate schools, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count two-year and certificate schools in Oklahoma.
Student body
Undergraduates by gender
- Women51463%
- Men30137%
Undergraduates by race / ethnicity
- White45%
- Black7.2%
- Hispanic26%
- Asian0.7%
- Other or multiracial21%
Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.
By the numbers
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 815
- Student–faculty ratio
- 20 : 1
- Pell Grant recipients
- 37%
- First-generation students
- 47%
- Students over 25
- 25%
- Median family income
- $24,576
- Avg faculty salary (academic year)
- $55,278
- Endowment
- $7,701,523
Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.
Cost
- In-state tuition
- $5,586
- Out-of-state tuition
- $9,954
- Room & board
- $7,735
- Books & supplies
- $1,600
- Total cost of attendance
- $15,372
- Average net price
- $7,267
Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.
Outcomes
- Graduated
- 31%
- First-year retention
- 56%
- Transferred to another college
- 11%
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $33,374
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $38,248
- Median debt at graduation
- $9,500
- Students with federal loans
- 16%
- Paying down their loans (1 year in)
- 40%
Graduating on time
By student background (4 years)
When these bars run close together, students from every background tend to finish at similar rates — a sign the school supports the ~30% who are first-gen or low-income.
Campus life & athletics
- On-campus housing
- Yes
- Dorm capacity
- 162
- Dorm capacity vs undergrads
- 20%
- Housing charge (year)
- $2,550
- Meal plan (year)
- $4,120
- Application fee
- $20
- Athletics
- NJCAA Division II
- Varsity athletes
- 188 (124 men · 64 women)
Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.
Varsity sports (4)
Athlete counts per sport, Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25.
Campus safety
- Safety grade
- A
- Reported offenses per 1,000 students
- 0.0 / year
- Violent offenses (2022–2024)
- 0
- Property offenses (2022–2024)
- 0
On-campus criminal offenses reported under the Clery Act, 2022–2024, across 1 campus (1,162 students). Counts reflect reports, not convictions — schools with strong reporting cultures often show more, so a higher count doesn't simply mean a more dangerous campus.
What you'll actually pay, by family income
Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.
College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.
Does the school pay you to attend?
Grant aid from the school's own funds — the discount off sticker, on top of any federal or state help.
Modest institutional aid: 73% of freshmen get a grant from the school, averaging $3,254. Most of what lowers the price here is federal or state money, not the school's own funds.
Blends need-based and merit aid — IPEDS doesn't split the two, so a high number can mean generous merit scholarships, deep need-based aid, or both. Figures cover 233 full-time first-year undergraduates, 2022–23. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid.
Is it worth it?
A rough return-on-investment read from what graduates earn versus what they borrow.
- Median earnings (10 years)
- $38,248
- Typical debt at graduation
- $9,500
- Debt vs. one year's pay
- 25%
- Out-earn a HS grad
- 47%
Typical debt would take roughly 2.5 years to repay at about a tenth of median earnings.
A reasonable return: earnings comfortably clear the debt over a few years for most students who finish.
Earnings are the College Scorecard median for former students (working, not enrolled) 10 years after entry — not a guarantee, and they vary a lot by major. Debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.
The pay gap here
Median earnings 10 years after entry, split by gender.
Men out-earn women by $9,752 (28%) a decade out.
Federal figures for former students working and not enrolled, 10 years after they first entered. A gap this wide usually reflects which majors men and women here tend to choose — not different pay for the same job.
Campus climate
- Summer high
- 97°F
- Winter low
- 25°F
- Annual rain
- 27.6″
- Annual snow
- 4.1″
Average temperature
HighLowAverage precipitation (inches)
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Altus Irig Rsch Stn, OK US station (5.4 mi from campus).
What Western Oklahoma State College graduates study — and earn
Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.
Colleges similar to Western Oklahoma State College
Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare Western Oklahoma State College side by side →
Redlands Community College
El Reno, Oklahoma · Distant town · 26 mi to Oklahoma City
- Students
- 946
- Tuition
- $5k
- Transfer
- 11%
- Earnings
- $37k
Eastern Oklahoma State College
Wilburton, Oklahoma · Remote rural · 93 mi to Tulsa
- Students
- 964
- Tuition
- $5k
- Transfer
- 14%
- Earnings
- $39k
Tulsa Technology Center
Tulsa, Oklahoma · Large city · 7 mi to Tulsa
- Students
- 1,409
- Tuition
- —
- Transfer
- 0%
- Earnings
- $42k
Metro Technology Centers
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · Large city · 4 mi to Oklahoma City
- Students
- 632
- Tuition
- —
- Transfer
- 0%
- Earnings
- $39k
Northern Oklahoma College
Tonkawa, Oklahoma · Distant rural · 70 mi to Wichita
- Students
- 1,941
- Tuition
- $5k
- Transfer
- 12%
- Earnings
- $38k
Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College
Miami, Oklahoma · Distant town · 69 mi to Fayetteville
- Students
- 1,720
- Tuition
- $5k
- Transfer
- 8%
- Earnings
- $38k
Colleges near Western Oklahoma State College
Southwest Technology Center
Altus, OK · Public · Certificate · 332 students
Vernon College
Vernon, TX · Public · Associate · 2,113 students
Western Technology Center
Burns Flat, OK · Public · Certificate · 129 students
Great Plains Technology Center
Lawton, OK · Public · Certificate · 314 students
Cameron University
Lawton, OK · Public · Bachelor's · 2,492 students
Eves College of Hairstyling
Lawton, OK · Private for-profit · Certificate · 86 students
Caddo Kiowa Technology Center
Fort Cobb, OK · Public · Certificate · 108 students
Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Weatherford, OK · Public · Bachelor's · 3,514 students
Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.