Arizona Western College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Arizona Western College charges a net price of $8,983/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $35,932. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,857, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Arizona Western College does not clear its cost — it ranks #36 of 63 Arizona colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $8,983/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $35,932 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,857 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,503/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $4,826 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$265,992 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Arizona Western College's own numbers. Net price $8,983 × 4 years = $35,932 total. Median earnings $36,857 fall $11,503 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $35,932 bill in about 3.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Arizona Western College students graduate with?
A median $4,826 in federal loans among completers, or 13% of the $36,857 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Arizona Western College students graduate?
20% finish their degree — 80% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $35,932 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $179,660 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Arizona Western College expensive compared with other Arizona colleges?
Its $8,983 net price runs $8,456 below the $17,439 median across the 63 Arizona colleges we profile, and $33,824 less across the full degree.