C
Average
Score: 50/100
Overall (traditional)
C+
Outcome Rating
56/100 · earnings-weighted

Otero College

2-Year Public
📍 La Junta, Colorado 81050
Otero College campus, La Junta, CO
Otero College campus, La Junta, CO. Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
ℹ️
Rating Context: ⚠️ Limited Data Available. Some metrics for this institution are incomplete or unavailable, which may affect the overall grade. Consider researching this school directly for the most current information.

Suggested Focus: For this type of institution, we recommend prioritizing the Outcomes Score (C) which measures graduation and job placement rates — the most relevant metrics for career programs.
Graduation Rate: 37%
Outcomes
C
49/100
Affordability
B
67/100
Resources
C+
60/100
Experience
B
66/100
Prestige
F
13/100

Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology

Quick Stats

972
Total Enrollment
37%
Graduation Rate
60%
Retention Rate
14.0:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
N/A
Acceptance Rate
$12,602
Avg Net Price
🏠 Housing Market Near Otero College ▼

19% of first-year students live off campus and not with family (U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS). Upper-year students at most universities move off campus at much higher rates, so near-campus rental demand is typically larger than this figure suggests.

Avg Home Value
$148,982
Avg Monthly Rent
$873
1-Year Change
-4.1%

Earnings, Debt & Completion

What happens to students who enroll at Otero College, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

$39,018
Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$34,087
Median earnings 6 yrs after entry
$10,250
Median debt at graduation
38.1%
Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)
38.2%
Students receiving Pell grants

Typical debt at graduation equals about 26% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.

Earnings rank: 63rd percentile among certificate-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (CO wage index 1.14). This drives the Outcome Rating.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.

Earnings by Major at Otero College

Median pay of associate's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.

Major1 yr after4 yrs aftervs. nationalRank (pay)Rank (wage-adj.)Median debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$74,179————$17,592
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities—$39,296-11%#728 of 947#846$8,625

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.

For parents & investors

The Otero College Town Property Report

  • Avg home value near campus: $148,982
  • Avg rent near campus: $873/mo
  • Top nearby ZIP by cap rate: 81067 (5.0% cap, Rocky Ford)

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🏆 Where Otero College Ranks

Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.

#27
Agricultural Business and Management, General
of 27 schools

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Fees

Category In-State Out-of-State
Tuition $3,941 $6,571
Total Cost (On-Campus) $21,206 $23,836

Financial Aid

98%
Receive Any Aid
45%
Receive Pell Grants
28%
Take Out Loans
$12,602
Avg Net Price

Net Price by Family Income

Family Income Average Net Price
$0 - $30,000$10,947
$30,001 - $48,000$8,192
$48,001 - $75,000$13,164
$75,001 - $110,000$15,083
$110,001+$15,653

Student Demographics

972
Total Students
56%
Women
49%
Traditional Age (18-24)
19%
Off-Campus Renters

👥 Race & Ethnicity

White 44%
Hispanic 39%
Black 4%
Asian 1%
Two or More 3%
Non-Resident 5%

🏠 Living Arrangements

On Campus 69%
Off-Campus (Renters) 19%
With Family 13%
🏘️ Rental Demand: ~183 students need off-campus housing

💻 Learning Mode

In-Person 66%
Hybrid (Some Online) 25%
Fully Online 10%

📊 Age Distribution

18-24 (Traditional) 49%
25-64 (Adult) 22%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Otero College?
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution. Many schools with open enrollment or specialized programs do not report traditional acceptance rates.
How much does it cost to attend Otero College?
Tuition at Otero College is $3,941 for in-state students and $6,571 for out-of-state students . However, the average net price after financial aid is $12,602.
What is the graduation rate at Otero College?
The graduation rate at Otero College is 37%. This graduation rate is low, which may reflect the institution's student population, program types, or other factors worth investigating.
Is Otero College a good school?
Otero College has a Repit College Score of 50/100 (Grade: C). Our rating evaluates five key factors:
  • Outcomes (C): Graduation and retention rates
  • Affordability (B): Net cost and financial aid access
  • Resources (C+): Class sizes and selectivity
  • Experience (B): Campus life and learning format
  • Prestige (F): Reputation and recognition
Note: As a smaller institution, we recommend focusing on the Outcomes score when evaluating this school.
How many students attend Otero College?
Otero College has a total enrollment of 972 students.
Is there rental demand near Otero College?
Yes! Approximately 19% of students at Otero College live off-campus (not with family). That's roughly 183 students who need rental housing near campus.

Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for Otero College — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →

🎓 Similar Colleges to Otero College

Compare with other 2-Year public institutions of similar size.

C
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C
Lamar Community College
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C+
Northeastern Junior College
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C+
Pickens Technical College
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Lincoln College of Technology-Denver
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IBMC College
Fort Collins, CO · 306 students

Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology