Best Economics Schools Near Odessa, TX (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Odessa, Texas is home to about 114,080 residents. Median household income is $73,030 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Odessa, TX metro area, the top-earning economics-related role is Management Analyst at a median $122,080 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Economics Schools to Odessa

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer economics programs near Odessa, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Odessa city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Odessa. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Angelo State University

San Angelo, TX 114.5 miles from Odessa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,116
Avg net price $15,091/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX 120.6 miles from Odessa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,454
Avg net price $19,070/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 168

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Hardin-Simmons University

Abilene, TX 157.8 miles from Odessa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,771
Avg net price $19,555/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

West Texas A & M University

Canyon, TX 215.6 miles from Odessa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,741
Avg net price $19,487/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, TX 242.5 miles from Odessa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,040
Avg net price $20,783/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX 244.5 miles from Odessa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,923
Avg net price $9,403/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 114

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX 260.9 miles from Odessa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,747
Avg net price $11,656/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

The University of Texas at San Antonio

San Antonio, TX 272.1 miles from Odessa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,131
Avg net price $10,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 120

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Texas schools on the Texas economics page.

Economics Wages Near Odessa

Odessa is part of the Odessa, TX metro area (BLS area code 36220). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Texas statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Economist$121,420TX statewide$129,308
Financial and Investment Analyst$99,150TX statewide$105,591
Statistician$102,960TX statewide$109,649
Management Analyst$122,080Odessa, TX$130,011

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Odessa at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population114,080Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$73,030Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+18.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Odessa-Area Cities With Economics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying economics roles near Odessa?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying economics-related roles near Odessa are: Management Analyst ($122,080), Economist ($121,420), Statistician ($102,960). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Texas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Midland instead of Odessa?

Midland, TX is 16.8 miles from Odessa and has its own set of local economics programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Odessa an affordable place to study economics?

Odessa’s median household income of $73,030 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Odessa while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Economics Programs

Other Programs Available in Odessa

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Odessa:

Data verified: August 31, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Economics Schools in Texas: Online Programs (2026)