In the past, the High Plains of Texas has been associated with low cost, low quality cotton harvested with cotton strippers, as opposed to spindle pickers widely used across the Cotton Belt. As improved irrigation techniques and higher quality, higher yielding varieties have been adopted, the question arises as to whether switching from the lower cost cotton stripper to spindle pickers would be economical. The prelimenary study takes into consideration the entire system cost including in-season cultural practices, pre-harvest preparations, harvest operations, ginning charges and lint value. The value of the lint is calculated using the standard USDA Loan Chart for Upland Cotton. Cottonseed is valued at the season average West Texas price as reported by USDA AMS. Stripper and picker varieties harvested with both strippers and pickers during the 2004 and 2005 growing seasons were evaluated.