Otero College

La Junta, Colorado · Public

Of 4 assessed programs, 3 leave graduates out-earning a typical Colorado high-school graduate (about $40,674/yr) and 1 fall short. Another 15 could not be assessed.

What would this cost you?

My family earns and I expect to take

Family income	Net price per year
Under $30k	$9,735
$30k to $48k	$10,817
$48k to $75k	$11,499
$75k to $110k	$15,257
$110k and up	$16,207
All families (average)	$11,103

Net price is the yearly cost after grants and scholarships, by family income (College Scorecard). It reflects students who received federal aid.

Program earnings vs a high-school graduate

Earnings are measured four years after completion when available. Where four-year earnings are suppressed, one-year earnings are shown and marked 1-year earnings. One-year and four-year figures reflect different career stages and should not be compared as if measured at the same time.

4 of 19 programs could be assessed 21% have an earnings verdict

Programs by earnings versus a typical Colorado high-school graduate.
Program	Degree	Median earnings	vs a high-school grad	Verdict	Median debt	Years to repay	Recent completers
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Associate's Degree	$39,296	-$1,378	falls short	$8,625	insufficient data	100
Nursing	Associate's Degree	$74,179 1-year earnings	+$33,505	clears the bar	$17,592	0.5 yrs	80
Practical and Vocational Nursing	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$74,405 1-year earnings	+$33,731	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	34
Criminal Justice	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$42,392	+$1,718	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	33
Agricultural Business and Management	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	42
Precision Metalworking	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	33
Business Administration	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Medical Laboratory Science	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Cosmetology	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Agricultural Business and Management	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Agricultural Production Operations	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Agricultural Production Operations	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Teacher Education (by level)	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Auto Repair Technology	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Allied Health Diagnostics and Treatment	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Medical Laboratory Science	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Mental Health and Counseling Services	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Mental Health and Counseling Services	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Earnings are medians measured four years after completion where available (programs shown with a 1-year figure are marked), compared with the state high-school-graduate benchmark ($40,674/yr). Debt is federal loans only. Suppressed values are shown as insufficient data, never imputed. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise.