Otero College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in La Junta, Colorado. It enrolls 619 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (2-Year), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Good
56/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes23
Value48
Affordability51
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Otero College admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $11,103 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$4,576
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$7,286
Room & Board (on-campus)
$9,280
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,537
Books & Supplies
$1,642
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$6,444
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,500
Total Cost of Attendance
$21,020
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$9,735
$30,001 – $48,000
$10,817
$48,001 – $75,000
$11,499
$75,001 – $110,000
$15,257
Over $110,000
$16,207
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,75010%percentile
$3,49625%percentile
$10,250Medianpercentile
$9,50075%percentile
$13,49690%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $6,146
↓ $4,104
No Pell $5,600
↓ $4,650
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $4,750
Independent students $7,688
↓ $2,562
Female students $6,500
↓ $3,750
Male students $5,500
↓ $4,750
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($10,250), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
29% of students who start here finish within six years, and 51% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
29%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
51%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $39,018 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$39,018
Earning > $25K
65%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$25,600
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$38,000
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$25,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$34,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$42,400
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $12,400, about 33% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
15.2 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 58% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 619 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 51% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
619
Part-Time
26%
First-Generation
51%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 42.7%264
White 39.1%242
International 9.2%57
Black 4.0%25
Other 3.7%23
Asian 0.5%3
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Otero College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Otero College offers
a varied set of programs:
12 distinct programs across
6 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 14 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$10,511
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$889,379
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$52,479
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
29 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
No Rank
29
100%
$52,479
Pros & Cons of Otero College
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Otero College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for:
Based on the data, Otero College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Otero College
The questions families ask most about Otero College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Otero College hard to get into?
Not especially. Otero College admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Otero College?
No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.
How much does Otero College cost?
Budget around $11,103 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Otero College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $39,018 a year against a net price of $11,103, about 3.5 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Otero College known for?
Mostly Liberal Arts, Nursing, Practical Nursing. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Otero College graduates earn?
About $39,018 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Otero College accredited?
Yes. Otero College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Otero College?
619 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Otero College?
29% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Otero College a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Otero College located?
Otero College is located in La Junta, Colorado.
What programs does Otero College offer?
12 different programs, most commonly Liberal Arts, Nursing, Practical Nursing. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Otero College?
14 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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