Phoenix College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Phoenix College charges a net price of $12,055/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $48,220. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,870, 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, Phoenix College does not clear its cost — it ranks #25 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) | $12,055/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $48,220 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,870 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$7,490/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $6,750 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$198,020 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Phoenix College's own numbers. Net price $12,055 × 4 years = $48,220 total. Median earnings $40,870 fall $7,490 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 $48,220 bill in about 4.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Phoenix College students graduate with?
A median $6,750 in federal loans among completers, or 17% of the $40,870 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Phoenix College students graduate?
14% finish their degree — 86% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $48,220 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $344,429 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Phoenix College expensive compared with other Arizona colleges?
Its $12,055 net price runs $5,384 below the $17,439 median across the 63 Arizona colleges we profile, and $21,536 less across the full degree.