Head-to-head comparison
Arizona College of Nursing-Phoenix vs Empire Beauty School-Tucson: which has better ROI?
Option A Phoenix, AZ
Arizona College of Nursing-Phoenix
- Net price / year
- $36,660
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,657
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Tucson, AZ
Empire Beauty School-Tucson
- Net price / year
- $17,013
- Earnings, 10 years
- $25,073
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Arizona College of Nursing-Phoenix comes closer — median earnings $34,657 against a $146,640 total, vs $25,073 at Empire Beauty School-Tucson. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Arizona College of Nursing-Phoenix | Empire Beauty School-Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $36,660 | $17,013 |
| Total net cost | $146,640 | $68,052 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,657 | $25,073 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $13,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$420,700 | -$533,792 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Arizona College of Nursing-Phoenix or Empire Beauty School-Tucson?
Empire Beauty School-Tucson, at $17,013 a year after aid versus $36,660 — a gap of $19,647 a year, or $78,588 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Arizona College of Nursing-Phoenix or Empire Beauty School-Tucson graduates earn more?
Arizona College of Nursing-Phoenix graduates report a median $34,657 ten years after entry, $9,584 more than the $25,073 at Empire Beauty School-Tucson. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Arizona College of Nursing-Phoenix or Empire Beauty School-Tucson?
Arizona College of Nursing-Phoenix: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $13,000 at Empire Beauty School-Tucson, a difference of $3,500. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.