Prescott College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Prescott College charges a net price of $22,583/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $90,332. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,359, 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, Prescott College does not clear its cost — it ranks #27 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) | $22,583/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $90,332 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,359 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$6,001/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $16,300 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$210,352 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Prescott College's own numbers. Net price $22,583 × 4 years = $90,332 total. Median earnings $42,359 fall $6,001 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 $90,332 bill in about 9.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Prescott College students graduate with?
A median $16,300 in federal loans among completers, or 38% of the $42,359 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Prescott College students graduate?
56% finish their degree — 44% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $90,332 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $161,307 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Prescott College expensive compared with other Arizona colleges?
Its $22,583 net price runs $5,144 above the $17,439 median across the 63 Arizona colleges we profile, or $20,576 more across the full degree.