The cost of college in Arizona — and what it pays back
Across the 63 Arizona institutions we profile, the median net price — what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — is $17,439/yr, $537 above the $16,902 national median. Graduates earn a median $39,217 ten years after entry (below the $43,549 national median), and 11 of the 63 schools clear their full cost on institution-wide earnings. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
How Arizona's 63 colleges split by ROI verdict
Verdicts: payback under 5 / 10 / 20 / over 20 years (or none).
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chamberlain University-Arizona | $40,096 | $92,405 | 3.6 yrs |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion | $14,967 | $62,668 | 4.2 yrs |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | $40,287 | $84,131 | 4.5 yrs |
| University of Arizona | $16,674 | $59,979 | 5.7 yrs |
| Northern Arizona University | $14,158 | $54,384 | 9.4 yrs |
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pima Community College | $3,405 | $39,810 | no payback |
| Tohono O'odham Community College | $4,233 | $39,229 | no payback |
| Central Arizona College | $4,714 | $40,513 | no payback |
| Mohave Community College | $5,974 | $35,522 | no payback |
| Dine College | $6,057 | $29,188 | no payback |
How many Arizona colleges actually pay for themselves?
11 of 63 — 17% of the Arizona institutions we profile clear their full net cost on institution-wide earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The rest need a high-paying major to pay off; the school average alone does not do it.
Do Arizona graduates out-earn the national median?
Arizona graduates report a median $39,217 ten years after entry, $4,332 below the $43,549 national median. Earnings track the local labour market and the mix of fields the state's colleges graduate, not the state border itself.