Penrose Academy — ROI, Cost & Payback
Penrose Academy charges a net price of $22,586/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $90,344. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,839, 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, Penrose Academy does not clear its cost — it ranks #43 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) | $22,586/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $90,344 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,839 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,521/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $6,333 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$340,764 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Penrose Academy's own numbers. Net price $22,586 × 4 years = $90,344 total. Median earnings $35,839 fall $12,521 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 $90,344 bill in about 9.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Penrose Academy students graduate with?
A median $6,333 in federal loans among completers, or 18% of the $35,839 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Penrose Academy students graduate?
90% finish their degree. Spread the $90,344 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $100,382 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Penrose Academy expensive compared with other Arizona colleges?
Its $22,586 net price runs $5,147 above the $17,439 median across the 63 Arizona colleges we profile, or $20,588 more across the full degree.