Central Arizona College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Central Arizona College charges a net price of $4,714/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $18,856. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,513, 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, Central Arizona College does not clear its cost — it ranks #20 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) | $4,714/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $18,856 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,513 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$7,847/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,010 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$175,796 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Central Arizona College's own numbers. Net price $4,714 × 4 years = $18,856 total. Median earnings $40,513 fall $7,847 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 $18,856 bill in about 1.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Central Arizona College students graduate with?
A median $10,010 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $40,513 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Central Arizona College students graduate?
27% finish their degree — 73% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $18,856 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $69,837 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Central Arizona College expensive compared with other Arizona colleges?
Its $4,714 net price runs $12,725 below the $17,439 median across the 63 Arizona colleges we profile, and $50,900 less across the full degree.