Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville
Brownsville, TX 78520
About Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville
Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville is a private for-profit trade school in Brownsville, Texas, enrolling about 631 students. Programs focus on certificates and workforce credentials that prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers. The published completion rate is about 68.05% at 150% of normal time. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $27,035 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $27,035.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 278% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville | — | $17,864 | 1 |
| Private For-profit (national median) | $16,637 | — | 477 |
| Texas (state median) | $9,940 | $8,031 | 184 |
| Suburban (locale median) | $13,135 | $18,048 | 684 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville really?
Evidence: average net price at Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville is $17,864.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $17,864 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $9,833 above the Texas median net price. Versus suburban campuses, net price runs $184 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Avg. net price
$17,864
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $17,716 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $17,283 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $18,620 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $20,687 |
| $110,001+ | $19,346 |
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville is known for
Top program completions
- Electrician186
- Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General106
- Medical/Clinical Assistant104
- Pharmacy Technician/Assistant34
- Computer Support Specialist19
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville.
Campus
Location
Brownsville, TX
City / state
- ZIP
- 78520
- NCES locale
- Suburb
Compared with Suburban campuses nationally, net price is 1% below the median for Suburban campuses ($18,048 median).
Control
Institution type
Private For-profit
Control
- Region
- Southwest
Size
Enrollment
631
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 1,080
- Full-time share
- 100%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$8,708
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 72.88%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Costs include tuition and fees. Room & board, books, and other expenses are additional where not shown.
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | — | — | $14,264 |
| 2014 | — | — | $22,401 |
| 2015 | — | — | $23,127 |
| 2016 | — | — | $19,231 |
| 2017 | — | — | $18,629 |
| 2018 | — | — | $17,376 |
| 2019 | — | — | $17,751 |
| 2020 | — | — | $20,137 |
| 2021 | — | — | $15,749 |
| 2022 | — | — | $16,408 |
| 2023 | — | — | $16,706 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville reported total enrollment of about 631 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 49% male and 51% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (71.0%), White (26.9%), and Two or More Races (0.9%). About 72.88% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 63.7% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
100.0% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville in 2024 is 631 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 1,080 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
74.4%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
44.37% 100% Completion Time
68.05% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 44.37% of students graduating from Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Electrician: 97% male / 3% female
- Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General: 3% male / 97% female
- Medical/Clinical Assistant: 15% male / 85% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville graduates earn a median of $27,035 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $27,035. Median federal loan debt: $8,708. Average net price used in cost models: $17,864.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville graduates report median earnings of $27,035 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 9 programs by IPEDS completions (10 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville graduates.
Institutional resources
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville—instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 60.0%
- Texas median 0.1 pp below median (60.1%)
- Southwest median 0.3 pp above median (59.7%)
- U.S. median 2.0 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $4,665
- Texas median 0.65× the median ($7,150)
- Southwest median 0.66× the median ($7,078)
- U.S. median 0.61× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $2,830
- Texas median 0.56× the median ($5,060)
- Southwest median 0.50× the median ($5,699)
- U.S. median 0.39× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville at a glance
Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville
Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville is a private for-profit institution in Brownsville, TX.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- ElectricianCosmetology/Cosmetologist, GeneralMedical/Clinical Assistant
- Largest enrollment groups
- Hispanic or Latino71.0%White or Caucasian26.9%Two or More Races0.9%
Schools near Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville
Other campuses in Brownsville, TX when available, plus nearby institutions in Texas.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C-) within Texas, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville located?
Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville is located in Brownsville, TX.
How much does Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville cost?
Reported tuition is N/A and average net price is $17,864 in the latest College Scorecard data.
What explains Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($17,864), completion (68.0% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($27,035). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville?
Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville reports undergraduate enrollment of about 1,080 students, Hispanic or Latino (71.0%), White (26.9%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville?
About 63.7% of students at Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville earn?
Median earnings are $24,849 six years after entry and $27,035 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville?
The 150%-time completion rate is 68.0% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $8,708.
Is Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville public or private?
Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville is a private for-profit institution located in Brownsville, TX.
Is Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville an HBCU?
No. Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville a tribal college?
No. Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
By the common federal eligibility proxy used here (≥25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard), yes—Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville reports 71.0% Hispanic enrollment share.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.