Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Oklahoma Panhandle State University #377 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median $56,708 four years after enrollment, placing Oklahoma Panhandle State University in the 31.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Oklahoma Panhandle State University sits in the 73.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting how graduates perform relative to similar students at comparable institutions. --- Oklahoma Panhandle State University's composite ranking reflects a balance of access, affordability, and graduate earnings outcomes that distinguishes it within the Azimuth coverage set. Graduates earn median four-year earnings of $56,708 and earn about $4,168 more than similar students at comparable institutions, a pattern consistent with the university's health-focused program mix and its broad-access mission in rural Oklahoma.
Azimuth ranks Oklahoma Panhandle State University #377 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Goodwell, OK, Oklahoma Panhandle State University enrolls roughly 917 undergraduates. Retention stands at 55.9% and the six-year graduation rate is 20.9%, reflecting the completion patterns typical of regional public institutions serving a largely rural student population. The composite is anchored by what Oklahoma Panhandle State University delivers for the students it serves. 47.7% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 41.2% are first-generation college students, reflecting a broad-access admissions posture that prioritizes students who might otherwise face significant barriers to a four-year degree. The dominant program concentration is Health, a field that connects graduates to stable regional employment and supports the institution's mobility outcomes. Graduates earn about $4,168 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Oklahoma Panhandle State University in the 73.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Return on investment sits at the 56.3 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and median earnings four years after enrollment of $56,708 reflect the regional labor market in the Oklahoma Panhandle rather than the higher-wage metros that lift earnings figures at larger flagship institutions. Affordability sits in the 97.6 percentile and access in the 61.1 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, with mobility rounding out the composite at the 18.3 percentile — a profile consistent with a small public institution whose primary value is delivering accessible, career-connected education in an underserved region.
Oklahoma Panhandle State University's published cost of attendance is $15,055. Financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $7,302, middle-income families pay around $15,055, and higher-income families pay approximately $15,055. Azimuth ranks Oklahoma Panhandle State University #35 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Oklahoma Panhandle State University's aid structure combines federal, state, and institutional funding to narrow the gap between sticker price and what families actually pay. Most students receive need-based aid through the FAFSA, and the institution participates in federal Pell Grants and Direct Loan programs. The relatively modest sticker price for a public regional university means that even before aid, costs remain lower than at many four-year institutions, and need-based aid further reduces the net burden for qualifying families. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $12,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $8,178; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $56,708, median federal debt of $12,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $141 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Oklahoma Panhandle State University is a small public institution in Goodwell, OK, oriented around Health and applied fields — a fit for students who want a career-focused undergraduate experience in a rural setting without taking on heavy debt. Graduates earn median $56,708 four years after enrollment, placing Oklahoma Panhandle State University in the 31.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and graduates earn about $4,168 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the university in the 73.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access profile is broad. 47.7% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 41.2% are first-generation college students — figures that reflect a student body where affordability and first-generation support matter. Median student debt at graduation is $12,500, keeping post-graduation loan obligations relatively contained for students who borrow. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program mix centers on Health and applied fields, so students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes, and the rural Goodwell campus suits students comfortable with a small-town environment rather than an urban or suburban setting.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
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This is the Oklahoma Panhandle State University hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Oklahoma Panhandle State University's published cost of attendance is $15,055. Financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $7,302, middle-income families pay around $15,055, and higher-income families pay approximately $15,055.
Azimuth ranks Oklahoma Panhandle State University #35 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Oklahoma Panhandle State University's aid structure combines federal, state, and institutional funding to narrow the gap between sticker price and what families actually pay. Most students receive need-based aid through the FAFSA, and the institution participates in federal Pell Grants and Direct Loan programs.
The relatively modest sticker price for a public regional university means that even before aid, costs remain lower than at many four-year institutions, and need-based aid further reduces the net burden for qualifying families. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $12,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $8,178; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $56,708, median federal debt of $12,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $141 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Oklahoma Panhandle State University earn median 4-year earnings of $56,708, placing Oklahoma Panhandle State University in the 31.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,168 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 73.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Oklahoma Panhandle State University #649 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major.
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing reports 157 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $92,450, ranked #73 nationally in its major. Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness reports 30 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $41,172, ranked #204 nationally in its major.
Business Administration, Management and Operations reports 30 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $50,148, ranked #318 nationally in its major. Biology, General reports 24 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $47,464, ranked #323 nationally in its major.
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
157 graduates
Agricultural Business and Management
14 graduates
Business Administration, Management and Operations
30 graduates
Biology, General
24 graduates
Computer and Information Sciences, General
8 graduates
Oklahoma Panhandle State University's program mix is anchored in Health and agriculture-adjacent fields — a signature that reflects the university's roots as a small public institution serving the rural Oklahoma Panhandle. The largest programs by graduate count are Nursing, Kinesiology, Business Administration, and Biology, General, together representing the core of what Oklahoma Panhandle State University delivers to students across 15 programs.
The Health concentration — the institution's dominant program family — connects graduates to stable, in-demand careers in clinical and community health settings that are particularly relevant to rural and underserved regions. The strongest earnings outcomes at Oklahoma Panhandle State University come from Nursing, where Azimuth ranks the program #78 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $92,450.
Business Administration follows, with graduates earning median earnings of $50,148 and Azimuth ranking the program #342 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Biology, General rounds out the top-earning cluster with median earnings of $47,464, and Azimuth ranks it #348 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
These programs reflect the institution's practical orientation toward fields where graduates enter the workforce directly and labor-market demand is relatively stable. The program-mix signature at Oklahoma Panhandle State University leans toward applied health, agriculture, and business fields — a portfolio suited to students who want direct pathways into regional employment rather than graduate-school-dependent trajectories.
The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these program families align with national and regional labor-market trends. Across 15 programs serving roughly 360 students annually, Oklahoma Panhandle State University operates at a focused scale where program cohorts are small and outcomes reflect a concentrated, career-oriented student body.
