College ROI

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Phoenix College

Phoenix, AZ 8,555 Undergrads 20.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$18,594
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,055
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,195
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,055
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$58,195
Peer Midpoint: $50,128
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+42%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$40,870
Peer Midpoint: $40,451
Graduation Rate20.4%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age25.7
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients40.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time27.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS61.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 2 Years to Graduation

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$612k
+$96k
+$127k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$590k
+$74k
+$105k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$578k
+$62k
+$93k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
25
∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
28
475%
Full Cost$19k/yr
30
273%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return621%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return102%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,205
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$34,959
Natl Median: $41,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,223
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,556
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,199
Natl Median: $60,097
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,675
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,162
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $30,572
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,418
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,078
Natl Median: $45,745
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,896
Natl Median: $62,436
Lifetime Value Added
+$202k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,297
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,149
Natl Median: $61,907
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,853
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
+$153k
Marketing
CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Natural Sciences
CertCIP: 3018
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,626
Natl Median: $53,855
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $29,652
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,127
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,079
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,886
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
AssocCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,370
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,290
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$6,750
Earnings (4yr)
$72,608
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
+$237k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,167
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$37,752
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,504
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
+$1k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$27,412
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,773
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,913
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
AssocCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,650
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,583
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$9,452
Earnings (4yr)
$51,047
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,486
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,264
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physical Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 4001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,076
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$6,937
Earnings (4yr)
$85,223
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$351k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,839
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $29,755
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,002
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,047
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,466
Natl Median: $48,220
Lifetime Value Added
-$341k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,308
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Natural Sciences
DegCIP: 3018
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,453
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.